By Sean Reilly

There aren’t many games played at Diamond Nation that are scoreless as late as the bottom of the fifth inning, especially on the 12U level. 

But that was the case on Saturday afternoon on Field 2, when two top-level teams, the Flores Baseball Braves 12U Red and the SP Surge from South Plainfield, were paired in the final of the 12U Easter Extravaganza. 

Paul Basile, who had already been a major factor in the game after a solid four-inning job as the FB Braves starting pitcher, was prepared to do even more when he came to bat in the bottom of the fifth.

Basile, the second batter in the order, was up with a runner on first and one out. He also had a plan. 

“I was sitting fastball,” he said. 

Instead, he got something else — a hanging curve.

Basile was able to adapt, and sent the pitch high into the trees beyond the fence in left-center field, and the home run became the difference-maker in a 2-0 win for the Braves in Flemington. 

“He hung a curve, and I got all of it,” said Basile, who had walked in each of his two prior at-bats. “I’m thinking fastball, because you have to think that, but he threw a curve and he hung it.” 

The home run also scored Nick Vanjonack, who had reached on a walk. 

The Braves and Surge are not only excellent teams, they’ve also met somewhat regularly over the past year. 

“We face each other a lot,” Basile said. “Both teams came in with a lot of energy. We each had to play bigger. “ 

Both also entered 3-0 on the weekend. The Braves were also 10-1 for the spring, while the Surge was 8-2. 

Basile went four innings as the Braves starter, allowing no runs on two hits with nine strikeouts and no walks. 

He was relieved over the final two innings by Vanjonack, who allowed no runs on one hit with three strikeouts and three walks. 

“I was throwing a fastball and a slider,” said Basile, who set a tone in the top of the first, when Jaxon Garcia led off for the Surge with a single to center, before the next three batters were struck out.

Paul Basile of FB Braves 12U Red was named the 12U Easter Extravaganza MVP.

Liam Moutela also did an excellent job as the Surge starter, allowing no runs on two hits over four innings, with five strikeouts and six walks. 

But the Braves got to the Surge bullpen in the fifth. Joey Lazzaro led off and was hit by a pitch, but his pinch runner was picked off at first. Vanjonack then walked on a full count.

Basile followed with the home run, which came on the third pitch of the at-bat, after a ball and called strike. 

Going deep is nothing new for Basile, who has a certain home run goal for the season. 

“I want to hit 50,” he said. “I’m up to 28 since we started the 12U season on Sept. 1st.” 

The Surge had one last crack in the top of the sixth and would putter two runners on base, bringing the potential go-ahead run to the plate.

Chris Abbate reached on a one-out single to second base and Ryan Rennie followed with a walk. A grounder then produced a pitcher-to-third force out for the second out and left runners on first and second. A slow grounder along the first-base line was fielded by Vanjonack, who made a tag on the runner for the unassisted final out.