By Joe Hofmann
Rick Harrison played baseball in college and has coached high school baseball for 16 years.
Harrison knows a good pregame dugout vibe when he sees one.
And he saw one Sunday night.
His Complete Game 13U baseball team took it from there in the Mid-Summer Classic by capturing an 11-0 victory over Wladyka National White to win the title at Diamond Nation.
“The energy before the championship game was great,” said Harrison, who played at Bucks County Community College and coaches at Spring-Ford High School in Royersford, Pa. “I have spent a lot of time around the game at various levels. You can tell as a coach if the guys are locked in and the energy is there. And it certainly was (Sunday) night.”
It was obvious among the players as well.
“I feel like we were really locked in,” said pitcher Colin Roeser, who pitched a one-hitter in the final and was named tournament MVP. “We felt comfortable in that situation. We played really well the whole tournament and we were really set after three big wins to get to the finals. You can definitely tell. (Sunday) night was really special. I felt like we had it, yeah.”
The team finished 4-0 and outscored its opponents, 27-4. Complete Game has learned how to win, having captured four tournaments over the last several weeks.
Earlier in the summer, Complete Game reached the semifinals of two Perfect Game tournaments but couldn’t make the finals.
Harrison’s team has figured out how to not only get past the semifinals but get to the championship game – and win.
“We were close to the championship in the beginning of the tournaments,” Roesler said. “We have kept up our momentum and keeping it going is really important.”
Two areas that have really stepped it up for the team have been the catching of Brayden Fallon and Nolan Fisher, as well as the pitching of Roesler, Will Stein, Owen Waltimyer, and Bobby Pasquarello.
“The catchers make it so much easier for me as a pitcher,” Roesler said. “They’ll get you a couple of calls and help you calm down. They’re good leaders. Some of the pitchers, especially Stein and Owen and Pasquarello, have really stepped up.”
Pasquarello threw six shutout innings in a 4-1 victory over Hustle Baseball Academy on Sunday afternoon, which pushed Complete Game into the final.
“We had our last bracket game at 3 and we knew we had to win to advance,” Harrison said. “Bobby did a great job keeping us in the game. He has been a workhorse for us and was very effective.”
The team then had a three-hour wait before facing Wladyka, which came in with a hot hand, having beaten the New Jersey Nationals, 11-0.
“They had energy and momentum, but our guys came up with energy of our own,” Harrison said. “We scored every inning. Colin pounded the zone and was really efficient. He worked fast, pitched with a good tempo, and threw strikes.
“They got their first hit in the fourth after it was 11-0. He set the tempo in the first and gave us the opportunity to win. We’d score and then he’d shut them down and keep momentum going for us, and we kept tacking runs on.
“Colin is someone I have coached and I’m proud of his development. He also had some big hits, and got a big save in Game 1 (a 4-2 win over the Taconic Rangers). He was very efficient with his pitches. He was able to get the save on Friday and then pitch well on Sunday.
“He not only has good velocity but good command and composure. At the 13U level, if you can throw strikes and locate the fastball you’ll be effective. That’s Colin.”
Complete Game had standout hitters and fielders up and down the lineup Sunday.
Two of the leading hitters were Stein (2-for-2) and Henry Drumbore (2 hits, including a triple).
Waltimyer dominated Taconic, striking out 10 in four innings and played solid defense in the middle of the infield.
Colin Roeser of Complete Game 13U was named MVP of the 13U White Mid-Summer Classic.
Leadoff man and outfielder Ryan Hatt set the tempo and ran the bases well while also providing good outfield defense.
Fisher and Fallon not only caught well but came up with clutch hitting.
First baseman Brody Stump hit well in the middle of the order and provided solid defense at first.
Hunter Harrison played a solid center field, had a big double in the second game (an 8-1 win over the Connecticut Rangers) and ran the bases well.
Outfielders Chris Flores and Riley Majcher both provided big hits and strong defense.
“It’s a good group of kids,” Harrison said. “They work hard and they are focused on the fundamentals. They are team oriented and play with energy. That formula will usually lead to a successful season. At 13U, it’s not always about wins and losses but development. It’s nice to see the attention to fundamentals and details paying off.
“When they came out of school season, it takes time to gel and understand what we are trying to accomplish. As a coach, it is always good to see that pay off. As a travel team, they come from various teams, so camaraderie and gelling together plays a big part.”
Harrison also lauded the work of assistant coaches Chris Fallon and Mike Drumbore. Fallon played at St. John’s and Drumbore at Shippensburg.
“They are great assistants and bring a lot to the table,” Harrison said.