Chase Hallett went 3-for-3 and was a homer short of the cycle for the Diamond Jacks.
By Rich Bevensee
The Auten brothers, Ryan and Bryson, have their own version of the Freedom of Information Act when it comes to baseball.
It’s pretty simple. While they are competitive with each other and sometimes have brotherly battles, 16-year-old Ryan and 13-year old Bryson genuinely enjoy watching each other perform, and the lines of communication are always open.
“If I see something, I point it out, and sometimes I ask him if I need to change,” said Bryson, a 6-2 righthander with the Diamond Jacks Super 13U ballclub. “After a game he might say, ‘You need to fix this or change that.’ It feels good. It always helps. It’s that little extra that helps me.”
Gaining valuable information from his big brother has continued to pay dividends for Bryson, who on Saturday morning – with his brother in attendance – pitched a two-hit shutout in the Diamond Jacks’ 8-0 victory over Hustle Baseball Academy in the 13U Blue pool of the Mid-Summer Classic at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
The Diamond Jacks improved to 2-0 and will finish pool play against the Milltown Padres on Sunday. Hustle (1-1) faces Bucks County Generals Black on Sunday, as well.
Auten’s biggest offensive lift came from leadoff hitter and shortstop Chase Hallett, who went 3-for-3 and was a home run short of hitting for the cycle. He doubled and scored in the first, he had an RBI single in the second, and tripled and scored in the fifth.
And if he had one more at bat?
“I would have been going for it (a home run),” Hallett said.
Auten, employing four- and two-seam fastballs, a circle change, a knuckle curve and straight curve, surrendered just two walks and struck out nine in five innings. His fastball hovered in the high 70s and touched 82.
Diamond Jacks coach Chris Banos said he was pleased with how Auten purposely dropped his velocity after the first two innings to focus on pitching to contact, thereby preserving his arm for the entire game.
“He had a lot of strikeouts in the first two innings (six) but they were working him pretty well,” Banos said. “I thought he did a very good job of settling in and adjusting, and he had a couple innings of 10 pitches that allowed him to get through the rest of the game.”
In both of the first two innings Hustle got a runner into scoring position before Auten struck out the side.
“The first two innings I got three strikeouts in a row but it took too many pitches,” Auten said. “The next two innings I had a six-pitch inning and a 10-pitch inning. I took off some velo with my fastball. I wasn’t trying to overthrow and was just trying to locate my offspeed.”
Banos said the game served as a mini slump-breaker for Hallett, who was struggling with his swing.
“It was just about giving him more positive thoughts,” Banos said. “Once he got that double I think it relaxed him.”
Hallett said his father, Tom, suggested a minor change based on watching recordings of prior at bats.
“Most of the time he reviews my swing and looks at little aspects of it,” Hallett said. “Today I changed my stride a little bit. In past games pitchers have been throwing a little bit harder, so I wanted to change my stride so I can be more on time with my hands. It was my dad’s idea.”
Hallett also made a nice defensive play in the fifth when pinch-hitter Sahil Desai appeared to line a shot off Auten’s foot. Hallett charged in behind the mound, scooped up the ball and threw to first in time to get Desai.
Tommy Drechsel was the only Hustle hitter to get a base hit off Diamond Jacks pitcher Bryson Auten.
Hallett led an offensive charge which saw the Diamond Jacks score in four of five innings, an aspect which pleased Banos.
Hallett got the Diamond Jacks on the board in the top of the first inning when he doubled and eventually scored from third on a double steal.
In the second, Rich Griswold cranked an RBI triple to right center and Hallett added an RBI single.
Hank Kusant got into the act in the third with a line drive RBI single which struck Hustle pitcher Noah Vargas’ glove and bounced into left field for a 4-0 lead.
In the fifth, Hallett tripled and scored on a wild pitch. Nick Stangota scored on an infield error, and James Cokeley stroked a two-run single up the middle.
Tommy Drechsel went 2-for-2 for Hustle and was his team’s only player to get a hit off Auten. Vargas pitched four innings and Alejandro Perez relieved him in the fifth.