Sports

Trojans lament poor at bats, Sanchez’s absence in loss to Grand Street

George Washington believed its title got away in the early innings.

“We didn’t let the pitcher work,” Trojans star Nelson Rodriguez said. “We didn’t take good at bats.”

The catcher felt he and his teammates were too anxious at the plate against Grand Street ace Gerry Gonzalez. They swung at too many first pitches and didn’t look to work enough walks. The crafty left didn’t give up a hit through the first four innings to the mighty GW lineup. By the time they adjusted, Gonzalez had his confidence and a two-run lead.

“I think we let him get into a rhythm and didn’t break up his rhythm at all,” George Washington coach Steve Mandl said.

His team got just a fifth-inning run and left the bases loaded with one out for the defending champions. With two on in the seventh, Randy Rodriguez hit a comebacker to Gonzalez that ended the fourth-seeded Trojans’ 2-1 loss to No. 2 Grand Street Campus in the PSAL Class A baseball final Friday night at MCU Park in Brooklyn.

“We outhit them and even five hits are a shock to us,” said Mandl, who didn’t coach last year because of a suspension for recruiting violations.

The Trojans played without one of their best players in center fielder Fernelys Sanchez, who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 16th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft earlier this week. Mandl said he found out Thursday that the organization didn’t want him to play and his advisor agreed out of fear of him getting hurt. Sanchez missed almost the whole season with a broken fibula. The longtime coach wasn’t happy, but didn’t use it as an excuse.

“It made no sense whatsoever,” Mandl said. “All these kids play in the College World Series. Their first two picks are a catcher and a pitcher in the College World Series.”

GW starter Edwin Corniel gave his team a chance to rally giving up just four hits over five innings while walking three and striking out four. The senior allowed an RBI triple to Kevin Martir in the first inning and a solo blast to left by Ernesto Lopez in the fourth to make it 2-0 Grand Street (21-1).

The Trojans (19-3) showed life in the top of the seventh. Bryan Mejia reached on an error and with one out Yasmany Gomez was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Henry Rodriguez flied out Randy Rodriguez repeatedly fouled off Gonzalez pitches and was almost safe on a high throw.

“He is one of the people you want up in that situation,” Mandl said.

While that at bat didn’t go its way, George Washington still lamented its approach at the plate in the early frames.

“When we had bases loaded that’s when we started taking pitches,” Nelson Rodriguez said. “He started walking people and then we started swinging at first pitches. We weren’t patient.”

jstaszewski@nypost.com