Cole Erickson takes third on a wild pitch during a key first-inning sequence for AA Elite Baseball 13U.
By Sean Reilly
Julian Shore knew that he pitched a good game for AA Elite Baseball 13U on Saturday at Diamond Nation.
What he didn’t realize was that his four-inning effort was also no-hitter good.
The right-hander struck out five and walked three in a 64-pitch effort as his New York-based team beat TBT NY Ballers, 10-0, at the 13U Summer Bash.
Shore did not realize that he allowed no hits until he was told after the game.
Julian Shore pitched a four-inning no-hitter for AA Elite 13U, with five strikeouts and three walks.
“I had no idea,” he said. “My fastball was working. I didn’t throw a lot of first-pitch strikes, but I was able to come back. I was trying to throw it right down the middle, and the defense did a good job behind me.”
Shore received plenty of help from his teammates. Especially notable was leadoff man Cole Erickson, who led off the bottom of the first with a full-count walk on the seventh pitch of his at-bat.
Erickson then drew three pickoff throws to first before the TBT pitcher threw a pitch to No. 2 batter Julius Beltran. By the time Beltran reached on a full count walk, Erickson stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch.
It was the only run of the inning, but the TBT hurler never found a rhythm, something that carried into the second inning when AA Elite put up six more runs for a 7-0 lead.
“I think that at-bat helped to keep him out of a groove,” Erickson said. “I try to get on base, steal and eventually score.”
AA Elite’s second inning began with a fly from Thomas McGrath near the left field line that the outfielder couldn’t quite get to. It went for a single, and he took second on the play. Shore was up next, and walked.
Johan Perez was out on a sacrifice bunt that advanced the runners, and Matthew Gabriel walked to load the bases.
That sent up the top of the order, and the next three batters – Erickson, Beltran and Andrew Edwards – drew RBI walks that increased the lead to 5-0.
After a pitching change, Dylan Moller hit a first-pitch sacrifice fly to center. A balk brought in the final run of the inning.
AA Elite then scored three runs to end the game via the mercy rule in the fourth inning.
Beltran was safe after the second baseman and left fielder miscommunicated on a fly ball with one out. Edwards reached on an error that scored a run, and Miller hit an RBI double. Christian Cannon lined a ball past the third baseman to deliver the game-ending run.
AA Elite Baseball began its tournament with a 3-3 tie against ITZ/Sabre Baseball earlier on Sunday.
TBT NY Ballers 13U opened on Saturday by defeating Loyalsock 13U, 17-7. Chris Cooney went 3-for-4 with two runs and four RBI.