14/15

AERCO 14, Edwards 6

AERCO capped off a great season by defeating Edwards Construction, 14-6, last week for the Newtown Babe Ruth 14/15 Division championship.

The game remained close for the first four innings. Edwards jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on doubles by Tyler Edwards and Michael Coates. Aerco came right back with three runs in the bottom of the inning on singles by Cole Depuy and Jimmy Poe and a single by Dan Spencer which drove in two runs.

Edwards tacked on four runs in the top of the third on hits by Kevin Walsh, Jared Modzelewski and Anthony Lucia. AERCO came right back again in the bottom of the third with four runs of their own on consecutive walks by Mike Poeltl, Depuy, Jake Devellis and Ricky Gallucci, with a sacrifice fly by Poe.

Devellis took over on the mound in the fourth and pitched four shut out innings for AERCO, striking out six.

AERCO blew the game open in the fifth with four more runs, highlighted with a single by Poeltl and a long double by Gallucci over the centerfielder’s head which drove in three runs. A double in the sixth by Jack List helped drive in two more runs to nail down the victory.

U11

BASE 9, Ryder Financial 6

Coming out of the Loser’s Bracket is never easy and despite facing the unenviable task of having to win two games in the championship finale, BASE Technologies did exactly that in capturing the Newtown Babe Ruth 11-year-old championship.

Ryder sent BASE to the Loser’s Bracket with a 13-12, 10-inning victory but BASE came out of the bracket and defeated Ryder, 13-7, to force the one-game final. And with a 9-6 win, BASE was crowned champion.

The game began as a pitcher’s duel, with Mike Scharfenberg of Ryder and Austin Ekstrom for BASE each pitching two shutout innings. BASE struck first in the top of the third with two outs when Spencer Erhardt hit a long double to the right field fence and after two infield errors, Joe Davis singled in a run and Brandon Cooper hit a double over the left fielder’s head with the bases loaded driving in three more runs.

Down 4-0, Ryder came back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third with Nick Barreto and Andrew Kelley scoring runs.

In the fourth, a single by David Gerics drove in Matt Spencer for one run and Kyle Hagerman scored from third on a wild pitch for a second run to give BASE a 6-2 lead. Ryder answered right back in their half of the fourth with two runs of their own. And then with the bases loaded with only one out, it looked like big trouble for BASE but Mike Koch caught a long fly ball by Andrew Kelley and then gunned down the runner tagging from third at the plate on a great throw to stop Ryder cold.

BASE added three more insurance runs in the top of the sixth to take a 9- 4 lead going into the bottom of the last inning, but Ryder was not ready to give up. After a lead off walk to Nick Barreto, JP Blanco doubled in a run as Scharfenberg hit a line drive into right center field, scoring Blanco.

David Gerics threw a strike from right center to shortstop Mike Koch on Scharfenberg’s attempt to leg his hit into a double and Koch made the tag for the final out of the game.

U8

Gold All Stars 7, Blue 4

After eight innings of well played baseball on July 1, Gold defeated Blue, 7-4, in the Newtown Cal Ripken Babe Ruth 8-year-old All Star game.

For Gold, Matt Perun, Dave Mathews, Spencer Tolson and Griffin Davis combined for ten hits and six runs scored to lead the offensive charge. The arms of Matt Elias, Curtis Williamson and Allister Sore held Blue’s potent offense in check. Joey Carrino and Jack Proccacini provided stellar defense in the middle of the infield while Alex Diagnault and Kyle McGrath were outstanding behind the plate.

For Blue, Tim Vanderhave, Jaret Devellis, Josh Houle, Devin Luzietti, Nick Randle, Jared Brady, Declan Sullivan and Luke Rustici all stroked solid base hits. Michael Parker, Nick Samuelson, Devin Luzietti, Vanderhave, Jared Brady and Declan Sullivan turned in stellar pitching performances. Ethan Carpenter, Jacob Nezvesky, Valentino Diorio and Michael O’Keefe were dazzling in the field.

The Gold team was coached by Joe Carrino, Bob Elias, Tim McGrath, Mike McCabe and Ray Craven. The Blue team was coached by Ed Brady, Todd Vanderhave, Bob O’Keefe, Paul Carpenter and Jim Parker.