By Rich Bevensee

Show New England 13U is on a serious roll right now, but they’re not winning with highlight-reel baseball. They hammer opponents with fundamentals and a barrage of base hits.

On Sunday evening at Diamond Nation in Flemington, Show New England put their basic skills on display and quieted a top-seeded opponent in the process.

Mike Harris scattered five hits over four scoreless innings while Shawn Ingram went 2-for-4 with two RBI in second-seeded Show’s 11-0 victory over top-seeded Warehouse Dust Devils ‘28 Purple in the 13U Blue Final of the Mid-Summer Classic Powered by Victus.

“We have a great pitching staff and we put the ball in the gap,” Show catcher Shawn Ingram said. “We strung hits together and that’s all you have to do. And we’ve been together for four or five years so we like playing for each other.”

Show New England, comprised mostly of players from North Boston and southern New Hampshire, has now won 23 of its last 24 games. During that stretch, coach Steve Lomasney’s group won the Border Battle tournament against teams from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and lost in the title game in a Perfect Game super regional event. Both tournaments took place at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass.

“I’ve been coaching 13U baseball for 15 years and this is arguably one of the best teams I’ve ever coached,” Lomasney said. “It’s been about buying into the right approach and playing winning baseball. It’s having the ability to not have selfish swings and move runners, and when we do that we put pressure on the other team and all of the sudden they make mistakes.”

For the Show, which scored in all five at bats, seven players had a base hit, five collected an RBI and seven scored at least once.

Mikey Harris of Show New England was named the 13U Mid-Summer Classic MVP.

“We don’t have any thumpers – we get a ton of hits and we steal bases,” Lomasney said. “We collectively run the bases well, we defend well and we pitch well. They love each other, they play hard and it’s fun to watch.”

Harris, named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, pitched four scoreless innings and allowed five hits and just one walk and struck out six. He also stranded runners in scoring position in every inning. He also had a walk and an RBI double.

“I just try to throw strikes, fill up the strike zone, and my defense was good behind me so I let them work,” Harris said. “I just try to get ahead, work ahead, so I can find their weaknesses and attack them.”

Lomasney noted how important it is for 13U pitchers to protect a lead, especially in the defensive inning after their team scores. He was particularly impressed with how Harris was able to compose himself with runners on base.

“He controlled the strike zone, controlled the tempo, and he was automatic whenever there was an inning where he had to shut it down after we scored runs, which was every inning,” Lomasney said. “His biggest strength was being able to throw strike one. In 13U baseball, one of the biggest issues you run into is ball four. Mikey had one walk today. In 13U  baseball and his first season on the diamond, that’s ridiculously impressive.”

Warehouse entered the game having surrendered just five runs in three games to earn the top seed, but Show scored against the Dust Devils in every inning.

Show struck for two runs in the top of the first. Ingram dropped an RBI single into left field and Peter Thompson beat the tag at home on a Steven Pinette sacrifice fly.

In the second, Andrew Kiricoples, the Show’s No. 10 batter, took center stage. Parker Johnson was off and running on a Kiricoples single to left center, and Johnson scored on an errant throw back to the infield. Kiricoples advanced to third on the play, and soon after he scored on an errant pickoff attempt after Thompson reached on a walk. Miles O’Neil then added an RBI single for a 5-0 New England lead.

Thompson made an impact again in the third inning, curling a two-run double inside the right field line for a 7-0 Show lead.

Harris cracked the loudest hit of the evening, an RBI double which reached the left-center wall while Pinette scored.

Show wrapped up the scoring in the fifth when Thompson scored on a wild pitch, Ingram singled up the middle to drive in a run, and Pinette tacked on an RBI fielder’s choice.

Pinette notched a strikeout while pitching a 1-2-3 inning of relief in the bottom of the fifth.

Show New England’s first pool play game against Diamond Jacks Super 13U was suspended due to rain with Show leading 8-2 in the fifth. Harris threw just 45 pitches in that contest, so was rested for the title game.

Show then defeated Mid Penn Prospects, 11-1, and Warehouse Dust Devils ‘28 Black, 9-2, in pool play before eliminating third-seeded Locked In Expos, 8-0, in the semifinals.

“Mikey gave up only one hit against the Diamond Jacks before the rain came and we had an 8-2 lead,” Lomasney said. “ Before this game I asked how he was feeling and he said, ‘Coach I want the ball.’ He’s been our ace all year and he pitched exceptionally well the entire tournament.”

Coach Steve Lomasney drops some quality words on his players after securing Mid-Summer Classic.

Harris said the Show was not always the steamrolling group which won the Mid-Summer Classic, but the work ethic was always there while they learned how to play on a 90-foot diamond for the first time. 

“At the beginning of the season it wasn’t the same,” Harris quipped. “Everyone just had to make an adjustment. We all had the right approach, we just had to buy into it and bring it on the field. We’ve been working hard in practice, and good coaching gave us the right approach. Look at us now.”