Glory pitcher Keegan Carras makes unassisted play at first base on ground ball for Glory.
By Sean Reilly
It’s been a great year at Diamond Nation for Jace Rowen, Grayson Shepulski and Nick Scudilla.
The trio compete during the year for the Morris County Cubs 9U, who played in five tournaments this year at the complex, winning three and finishing runner-up in the other two. Scudilla also played up in another tourney with the Cubs 10U team, and earned a first-place medal in that as well.
The three are back in Flemington this week to participate in the All-Ripken Games, the special four-day event highlighting outstanding talent in several age groups. They are each competing for Team Glory in the four-team 8/9U tournament.
It’s probably no surprise, then, that the Glory has gone undefeated in pool play to clinch the top seed in the Thursday playoffs.
The latest victories came on Wednesday morning, a 20-8 win over the Liberty, followed by a 10-1 triumph over the Freedom. The other result was an 11-1 decision over the Anthem on Tuesday.
In the win over the Freedom, Shepulski went 2-for-2, with two runs and two RBI, Rowen was 1-for-1 with a walk, two runs and one RBI, and Scudilla was 1-for-3 with a run and one RBI.
“This is a lot of fun,” said Shepulski. “It’s been good, because I get to play with them and new people, and that we’re winning.”
The Glory scored three times in second and seven times (the maximum allowed under the All-Ripken rules) in the third to build a 10-0 lead over Freedom.
Isaiah Vallejo-Juste delivers pitch for the Freedom during 8/9U All-Ripken Games.
The second inning began with a walk to Jaxon Flannery, who went 2-for-2 in addition to the base on balls. After a pop out, the Glory got consecutive triples from Rowen, Shepulski and Michael Levy to account for the runs.
In the third inning, A.J. Ritter singled with one out before the next batter flied out to center. Ritter advanced two bases on wild pitches before scoring on a single from Flannery.
Scudilla hit an RBI double, advanced on a wild pitch and Rowen walked before Shepulski hit an RBI single to third base. Levy walked to load the bases before Andrew Penn hit a two-run double. A walk to James Salvatore reloaded the bases before Zain Eltaki hit a one-run single on the infield. After the second out on a pop out to the pitcher, the Glory hit the seven-run inning limit when Penn scored on a wild pitch.
Glory’s Grayson Shepulski, who tripled, scores on triple by Michael Levy during three-run second.
The Freedom scored their run in the fifth. Adonis Bradford drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a groundout. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Dylan Etkowicz singled to shortstop.
The Cubs contingent will bid for another Diamond Nation championship on Thursday, beginning with a morning semifinal against the Liberty.
The other semifinal will match the Anthem against the Freedom, with the winners playing in the afternoon for the All-Ripken championship.
“It’s a lot of fun playing with teammates that I know, and it’s nice getting to know the new people,” Rowen said. “I like playing here, on the turf fields and with my friends, and it’s fun.”