Tuesday, July 23, 1996
Winning for the 8th time in their last 9 games, the North Plainfield 12 & Under Baseball All-Stars defeated a tough Scotch Plains squad 3-1 tonight to give them a perfect 5-0 record in the Dunellen Tournament. Saturday at 10 am the NP boys will face the winner of Friday night's Dunellen - Scotch Plains contest for the tournament trophy at McCoy Field. NP is the only team to have beaten every opponent it faced in the tournament.
"I am having a ball!" gushed coach Ron Ivory as he congratulated his troops after tonight's win. "This game had everything, and you guys are doing everything right!"
Shortstop Pat Davis, who had gone 3-for-3 with a double and 3 RBIs (including the winner) in Monday's 5-4 victory over Somerville, kept his hitting spree alive by ripping a double to the left field fence, driving in starting pitcher Brian McFarland with what proved to be the winning run in the top of the first inning.
But the victory was by no means an easy one, and it took yet another stellar pitching and defensive performance for the NP boys to put this game away. Starting hurler Brian McFarlane did a fantastic job in getting his third victory in his last three outings. He allowed only one run and four scattered hits in four innings, struck out 3 and walked only one. Reliever Jake Cohan put in a strong performance to get the save, allowing only one hit and one walk in two innings and striking out two - the last two batters of the game.
The NP defense gave their pitchers all the support they needed. Davis was spectacular at short, making back-to-back stabs of hard grounders in the bottom of the fifth inning. Earlier, in the bottom of the first, Davis and third baseman Tommy Holbrook combined to make a highlight film putout of the leadoff batter. Scotch Plains' Chester hit a hard liner between third and short. Holbrook got his glove out to make the stop, but the ball popped out. Davis, who had broken to his right at the crack of the bat, quickly changed direction and pulled in the loose ball for the out.
First baseman Matt Senna contributed a key play in the bottom of the third with a runner on first and no outs. Muller hit a slow grounder down the first base line, and Senna rushed the ball and fired to second to get the lead runner. On the very next play, McFarlane nabbed a line drive back to the box and fired to Senna for the double play to end the inning.
In the fourth inning, again with a runner on first and no outs, Holbrook fielded a hard-hit grounder down the third base line and made the long throw to Senna's outstretched glove for the out. After a walk and a passed pitch put runners at second and third, Scotch Plains' Mogull singled into center, driving in one run and sending another runner toward the plate. But NP centerfielder Colin Disch had another idea and fired a strike to catcher Jeff Bassman who put on the tag. Disch and Bassman combined for an almost identical play last Saturday in NP's 9-8 win over Warren. In the bottom of the fifth, after Davis' two great plays, centerfielder Disch grabbed a hard line drive on the run to end the inning. NP put up another run in the top of the sixth when Tommy Holbrook walked and stole second and then scored from second on McFarlane's long single to left-center. This set the stage for the bottom of the sixth.
Reliever Cohan, who suffered through a heartbreaker when he pitched a three-hitter but lost to Ridge on Sunday night, found himself again in a pressure situation. He walked the first batter he faced, Lowen. Blasi then beat out a perfect sacrifice bunt, putting runners on first and second with no outs. Leadoff man Chester then laid down what appeared to be another perfect sacrifice bunt down the third base line. Frank Veglatte, who had come in to replace Holbrook at third, charged to the plate, picked up the ball and fired to third where shortstop Davis took the throw for the forceout. Cohan then got Williams to strike out looking for out number two, but not before the runners advanced to second and third on a passed pitch.
With two outs and the tying run on second, and with Scotch Plains' slugger Dave Cote swinging two bats in the on-deck circle, Mike Buffardi took Cohan to a full count. One of the NP coaches yelled to his reliever "This batter means nothing!" but then added "except if you walk him, you have to face the next guy!" Cohan nodded, went into his motion, and threw a called third strike to end the game.
Though NP's hitters only amassed five hits, they connected well all night and hit the ball hard. Colin Disch had a leadoff double and scored in the first frame when a Matt Velasquez grounder got through the shortstop. Jeff Bassman and left fielder Michael Medina added hits, and Brian Searls and Jake Cohan both took opposing fielders to the fences on long flies.
North Plainfield has two days of rest before their next game, a first-round CJBL Tourney Game at Westfield Friday, 7/26, at 6pm.