Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Taravella honors late AD Stein before win
Wednesday’s baseball game between South Broward and Taravella was missing something.
Specifically, it was missing someone.
Jason Stein had been a fixture with the Trojans since 2004. He coached the baseball team from 2004-2011 before leaving the position to become the school’s athletic director.
Stein died due to complications from COVID-19 in August 2020. He was 46.
Taravella honored its former coach and AD before the season opener against South Broward, which it won 2-1. Stein’s wife, Michele, and his daughters, Hailey and Ilana, were invited to the pitcher’s mound to throw out the pregame first pitch.
The team retired Stein’s No. 19 from his coaching days and stitched the number on caps. The entire team wore the No. 19 in the first inning.
“It was tough,” Taravella coach Joe Giummule said. “It was an emotional evening. I know it shook me up. I’m used to him being here. I’m used to him helping out and coaching.
“He was a baseball guy. Seeing his wife and kids today was tough and emotional, and I think it might have had a little effect on some of these guys that have known him for some years.”
On the field, it was a new Trojan who picked up the win in the opener. Colby Lipovsky, a senior transfer from Deerfield Beach, held South Broward hitless for four innings. He struck out 10 batters and walked three.
“He probably didn’t throw great, honestly,” Giummule said. “But it’s encouraging that when you don’t have your best stuff, you can still no-hit a team and strike out double digits in four innings.”
South Broward pitcher Jacob Laroque held the Trojans in check for the first three innings, but Taravella got on the board in the fourth after Roque threw an attempted sacrifice bunt over the first baseman’s head. The Trojans scored a second run in the fifth on an RBI single by Tony Sanders.
South Broward put a run on the board in the sixth on a double play, but the Bulldogs left the tying run stranded at third base.
Giummle told his players after the game that he didn’t think they played their best game, but he reflected and said he thought a close game was fitting.
“We wanted to honor him,” Giummule said. “I think he would’ve appreciated a close baseball game, a good, hard-fought baseball game rather than a blowout.
“I know he was watching us; he was with us. We didn’t play very well tonight, and I think maybe he had a little something to do with us getting in the win column.”