Logan Brid takes a cut for Titans-Messina in Blue Chip Prospects showcase.
By Rich Bevensee
Outlaws 2026-Picone righthander Jordan Drucker began the game by overpowering batters, then stumbled through an inning unscathed and finished unscored upon through four innings.
Like Drucker, Titans-Messina righty Sean Brown pitched well enough to win, giving up only one hit in his five innings of work. The problem was that the Titans surrendered two unearned runs in Brown’s final inning of work and that proved to be the difference in the ballgame.
With those two runs looming large, the Outlaws withstood a late rally to earn a 4-3 pool play victory in the Blue Chip Prospects Tournament Powered By Victus, a 17/18U Wood Bat event, on a steamy Tuesday evening at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
The top five teams from this event earn a bid to play in Diamond Nation’s Top 25 Showcase in August. The Outlaws improved to 1-1 while the Titans fell to 0-2.
Drucker, a 5-9, 170-pound rising senior at Burke Catholic in Goshen, N.Y., steamrolled through the first six batters he faced, striking out the first three, mainly with an electric mid-80s fastball.
But in the third inning he looked like a different pitcher, walking three of the first four batters. Luckily for Drucker, Outlaws catcher James Ciraco was on his game, throwing out the first two baserunners attempting to steal second. An outfield error allowed a runner to reach third, but Drucker stranded him there with a flyout, and then pitched a scoreless fourth.
“I felt like I was slipping on the mound and the heat did get to me,” Drucker said. “I battled back and the walks didn’t hurt. I felt fine. I used a better pitch selection toward the end of the inning.”
Anthony Lamberty, left, congratulates Outlaws pitcher Jordan Drucker after his four shutout innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Outlaws provided Drucker some run support thanks to two walks and a wild pitch which put Chase Rodriguez at third and Kole Mullen at second. Lorenzo D’Ambrosio’s sacrifice fly scored Rodriguez, and Mullen scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.
Drucker’s line score read no runs allowed in four innings on one hit and three walks with four strikeouts.
“The third inning got a little extended but he came back out for the fourth and he was great,” Outlaws coach Brian Picone said. “I didn’t have to say much to him. I just make sure he feels good. He’s our guy at that point.”
In the bottom of the fifth with Brown still on the hill for the Titans, Logan Verma reached on an error and pinch-hitter Justin Maffucci walked. Verma eventually scored on an Alex Mautone groundout and Maffucci scored on a two-out outfield error.
Brown, a 6-1, 185-pound rising senior from Chaminade High in Mineola, Long Island, N.Y., finished up with four runs allowed – two earned – on one hit, three walks and two hit batsmen and he struck out eight in five innings.
“I thought I was doing well. I thought I was throwing strikes and getting outs,” Brown said. “It was a little frustrating out there. We weren’t really hitting like we should. In the end we almost came back but if we didn’t make so many errors we would have won that game.”
Titans coach Joe Messina felt Brown’s frustration with pitching five innings of one-hit ball and absorbing the loss.
“I thought that was the best Sean’s thrown all year,” Messina said. “He threw the ball well. He kept the ball down in the zone. His secondary stuff was good. He’s growing as a pitcher. He’s come a long way since the beginning of the year.
“He was definitely frustrated on the mound but he didn’t let it show and he continued to do a great job.”
Tommy Rocco pitched a scoreless sixth in relief for the Titans.
In the top of the seventh, the Titans put a scare into the Outlaws and reliever Justin Acevedo. With one out, pinch-hitter Erik Perea walked and Pat Pfister singled up the middle. Brayden Giannico reached on an infield error which allowed Perez to score from second.
Pfister scored on a wild pitch to make the score 4-2 and Giannico scored on a throwing error to get the Titans within a run.
Acevedo settled down to retire two of the next three batters, the final one with a strikeout, and earn the save.