By Sean Reilly
Scott Tiger had a hot start for the Diamond Jacks Super 11U over the weekend, until his production at the plate began to slow down.
He soon made a realization that had nothing to do with technique or anything else mechanically-related.
Prior to the Diamond Nation Slugest tournament championship against the NL Vandals on Sunday afternoon, Tiger noticed that his bat was damaged.
“I was struggling a little bit, but then I realized that my bat was broken,” he said.
With that being the case, one of his teammates provided a major assist.
“I asked Jordan Fleischer if I could use his bat,” Tiger said. “He let me, and it made a big difference.”
Tiger then went 3-for-3 with one run and three RBI as the DJacks gained a 7-5 victory for the title in Flemington.
Tiger shared tournament MVP honors with John Lyons, who went 8-for-14 over the five tournament games (all victories) and pitched the final two innings to close out the championship win.
It was the first fall tournament for the DJacks, who outscored the opposition, 67-17.
“It was a great team effort, in this game and throughout the whole tournament,” Lyons said. “We played as a team and all worked together. It helped us win this tournament, and we’re looking to win a couple more.”
Tiger ended the weekend 9-for-15 with five runs and nine RBI. But after starting with five hits over the first two games, he was 1-for-5 over the next two. It was then that he noticed was playing with a broken bat.
Diamond Jacks Super 11U coach Mike Cust joins 11U Slugfest MVPs John Lyon and Scott Tiger.
Borrowing the bat from Fleischer turned out to be the solution, and it was evident right from the top of the first inning.
After the first two batters in the game were retired, Brady Jezorwski singled to third base and stole second. Tiger then had a full count before hitting a RBI single to center. He took second on a throw to the plate.
Lucas Julian then singled to shortstop which sent Tiger to third. Evan Pfitzenmayer followed with an RBI single to shortstop. After Fleischer walked to load the bases, Aiden Spisso was hit by a pitch to score Julian.
The DJacks extended the lead to 4-0 in the second inning, once again doing all the damage with two out.
Michael Botti drew a walk, and stole two bases before Lyons was hit by a pitch. Botti scored on a wild pitch with Jezorwski at the plate.
The Lower Gwynedd, Pa., based NL Vandals, who ended the weekend 3-1, scored a run in the bottom of the second. Max Margherio led off with a walk and Thatcher Fazio followed by poking a single to center. A ground out moved the runners to second and third, and Mac Smith’s groundout to first scored Margherio.
The DJacks began the third with Tiger hitting a single to left. Julian followed with a walk. Tiger was thrown out stealing third, but Julian eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The DJacks expanded their lead to 7-1 in the fifth, once again doing it all with two out.
Lyons singled to right and stole second before Jezorwski walked. Lyons went to third on a wild pitch and Jezorwski stole second, and Tiger followed with a two-run double to right field.
The NL Vandals made it closer by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth, which began with a walk to Smith. He stole two bases before Lucas Sukanick hit an RBI single to shortstop.
At that point, Lyons came on to pitch. Matty Bender was safe on an error and Tyler Abercrombie (2-for-3) hit an infield single that loaded the bases. Garrett Stolzer hit an RBI single to first base. After a strike out, the inning ended on a double play that also scored a run.
In the bottom of the sixth, Fazio reached on a dropped third strike with one out. He stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, before Jackson Campbell hit an RBI ground out to second. A pitcher-to-first ground out ended the game.