Ball Player Recalls Journey From DR to Sachem

Jesus Manuel Hernandez Ortiz came to Sachem from the Dominican Republic during his junior year of high school in 2006.

Barely speaking English, he only knew baseball and was ready in the fall to strap on his cleats and get going. He learned quickly that while Sachem has a tradition of baseball excellence, it would have to wait until the spring.

“I thought I had it easy,” he recalled. “Winter passed and March came and there I was at baseball tryouts. Then reality finally hit me. Sachem is a baseball school.”

After three days of tryouts in the usual frigid March weather of Long Island, Ortiz did not make the team.

“There went my dream,” he said. “I was devastated. I remember a tearful me speaking to coaches [Tom] Gambino and [Gary] Comstock. They told me I had some good moments and some bad moments, but I needed more consistency. I accepted their comments and said thank you for everything. I felt so depressed the rest of the week.”

The following Monday during fourth period in his U.S. history class, Comstock walked into the room and asked if he could speak with him. He said he had one more spot on the roster and the rest fell into place.

“The next two years were two of the best years of my life,” he said. “I was part of a Sachem North baseball team who upset Connetquot and Commack during the regular season games. A team who upset Longwood and Pat-Med during non-league games and a team who stunned Lindenhurst during the playoffs.”

"He was a player that everyone loved," Gambino said. "He was not a starter but always had a smile on his face. He worked very hard at practice and was someone who truly loved the game. He was a pleasure to have around."

Ortiz even paid homage to the many former teammates of his that went on to play college baseball or receive athletic recognition in some way: Robert Griffith (Sacred Heart), Frank Scarlato (Farmingdale), Nick Velez (SUNY Suffolk), Anthony Keller (all-league pitcher), Will Slinkosky (plays basketball for C.W. Post) and many others talented Juniors and Sophomores.

“This experience and the many more I got to experience during the two years with the baseball team taught so many things about life,” he said. “It taught me not to ever give up if you love something so bad you cannot hide it. It taught me to work hard to achieve my goals. It definitively helped me improve my English skills. The baseball team ended my high school years on a high note.”

Ortiz said Sachem baseball helped him prepare for life after high school. He is a psychology major at SUNY Binghamton today.