14u New England Regional Recap

Jordan Posway

The 14u New England Regional tournament held in Northborough, Massachusetts was a treat for all in attendance. The games were action-packed and the weather was absolutely perfect for baseball. According to the Director of Media and Marketing Relations at the New England Baseball Complex, Peter Batchelder, even the PG apparel was flying off the shelves. “We had a really good weekend of sales on PG shirts, hats, and other merchandise,” said Batchelder.

Peter and his wife, Kim, also observed a possible marketing trend with the kids. “As you escalate up in age, awareness of being part of a PG tournament increases.” While it seems some of the younger age groups only pay attention to the baseball being played, Batchelder noticed that the older kids are becoming increasingly aware of Perfect Game and are starting to identify with the brand. “As you get into these older kids, you can tell that they are anxious to buy the shirts and put it right on. Wearing a PG branded shirt means something to them.”

Speaking of interesting trends, the New England Ruffnecks and the Newport Jr Gulls had teed off against each other eight times this season leading up to the New England Regional, and as of Sunday’s championship game, they would bring their grand total to nine. It seemed that both teams were on a collision course from the very beginning as they coasted through their respective pools.

The respect between the Ruffnecks and the Gulls was evident in the championship game as they both placed a heavy emphasis on besting their rivals. Unfortunately for the Gulls, the Ruffnecks’ pitchers turned in a spectacular performance. A brilliant collective effort by #22 Ben Reyes and #11 Jackson Emus thwarted any threat of an offensive rally by the Gulls. On the other side of the ball, timely hits by #5 Jack Flynn and #24 Andrew Hass highlighted a consistent seven run offensive effort by the Ruffnecks.

With the bases loaded in the 6^th inning, the Ruffnecks looked to #19 Jack Thorbahn to get them out of the inning. Thorbahn promptly retired the side and secured the 7-2 championship victory in a gutsy performance.

It was a big win by the New England Ruffnecks who earned the privilege of competing in the PG Super25 14u National Championship down in Fort Myers. The Newport Jr Gulls had a great tournament and should not be disappointed. If history is any indication, they will have another crack at the Ruffnecks.

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