2015 NE Super Qualifier Recap

Jordan Posway

This past weekend in Staten Island, New York, five teams were crowned champions of their respective age brackets. It was a busy weekend for baseball even by New York’s standards. Although the weather wasn’t ideal, the 2015 PG Super25 Northeast Super Qualifier Director, Nick DeFendis, had high praise for the teams involved. “The baseball was enjoyable to watch,” said DeFendis. “There were a lot of quality teams.”

A brewing rivalry between the Tri-State Arsenal Blue and the Jersey Storm was the highlight of the 9u tournament. Jersey Storm drew first blood by besting Tri-State Arsenal Blue 4-3 on the first day. Jersey Storm coasted to the championship game, but to get over the hump, they would have to outlast Tri-State Arsenal once more. However, Jersey Storm could not hold onto their early two run lead. Three hits and three strong innings by #42 Austin Denamen sparked the comeback bid by Tri-State Arsenal. The offense continued to gain traction as #13 Ryan Costello followed Denamen’s example with two hits and 1 RBI of his own. Tri-State Arsenal Blue scored the go-ahead run in the 5^th inning and held off Jersey Storm for the championship win.

Tri-State Arsenal was not done there. Their 10u squad followed suit with a championship victory of their own in the form of a 5-0 win over the Richmond Titans. Six masterful innings courtesy of #27 AJ Gracia prevented any thought of a comeback bid by the Titans. Gracia was in complete control as he dealt 14 first pitch strikes while leading his team with two hits on the day. Steady offense and lights out pitching was the formula that carried Tri-State Arsenal to a perfect 5-0 record.

Just a week removed from their PG Super25 11u Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament win, BC Phenom was looking to repeat as champions. They had already earned a berth in the PG Super25 National Championship, but BC Phenom continued to roll through the competition en route to a 2-1 nail-biter over the Richmond County Nationals to secure yet another championship victory. Pitcher #13, Generoso Romano, scored the Phenom's first run of the day in the 1st inning due to an error by the opposing third baseman on a ground ball hit by #44 Liam Lombardi. Romano's contribution didn't end there as he allowed only three hits with one earned run in a spectacular performance. A ground rule double by #39 Chris Campanella got the Phenom rolling in the second. Savvy base running by Campanella and an RBI single by #3 Gabriel Francisco drove in the team's second and final run of the game which turned out to be just enough for the championship win.

Justin Petho, Owner/Manager of BC Phenom, had nothing but wonderful things to say about his “unbelievable” team. He credits their hard work and team philosophy for their recent success. The team practices three times a week, and has taken part in 45 games thus far in the spring season which has laid the foundation for their strong team chemistry. The excellent pitching and defense throughout their tournament run was all part of the plan according to Justin Petho. “I’m a firm believer that pitching and defense wins baseball games, and we stress that with our players”. Due to their recent success, it’s safe to say Petho’s philosophy is resonating within his team.

Bonnie Robins 12u managed three fewer hits than BC Brushback Elite, but they certainly made the most of their opportunities. A seven run 4^th inning catapulted Bonnie Robins to what proved to be an insurmountable lead. Their 8-4 championship game triumph was a total team effort as Bonnie Robins ended the PG Super25 12u Northeast Super Qualifier with an undefeated record.

The Central Jersey Warriors left no doubt that they were the rightful champions of the 13u age bracket with their 15 run effort over the NJ Gamers. It was a hard fought battle through six innings as there were a couple of lead changes, but a late offensive eruption by the Warriors was the difference. The Warriors’ lethal offense racked up double digits in three of their contests, while #7 Liam Cleary tallied two homers on the weekend.

The 2015 Northeast Super Qualifiers in Staten Island certainly did not disappoint. It was a weekend to remember as there will be some new faces in the PG Super25 National Championships.

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