Ryan Pappas takes a cut for Diamond Jacks Gold 16U in 16U Blue Chip Prospects showcase.
By Rich Bevensee
This summer has been a difficult road for Diamond Jacks Gold 16U, but the club found a way to cap its season with a positive performance upon which to build.
A pair of arms, right-hander Evan Carter and lefty Will Sassman, helped the Diamond Jacks claim its second victory of the week and match their season total for wins.
Carter and Sassman combined on a three-hitter and led their team to a 4-2 verdict over CT Capitals Underclass in 16U Blue pool play in the 16U Chip Prospects, Powered By Victus on a rainy Thursday afternoon at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
The Diamond Jacks (2-1) defeated Northeast Pride 16U Scout, 5-2, earlier this week and with Thursday’s win improved to 4-24-1 this season.
“Overall our pitching has been there, it’s just been our hitting,” Diamond Jacks coach Owen Panovec said. “We had to find a way to hit in key moments. I had a feeling our pitching was going to hold up today.”
Panovec was betting on Carter, who was pitching on two days’ rest, to give the Diamond Jacks a jump start. Carter, relying on his four-team and two-seam fastball and a slider, responded with three strong innings, allowing one run on one hit and two walks with four strikeouts.
“We didn’t have a lot of pitchers who could throw today. Two guys are hurt,” said Carter, a rising junior at Phillipsburg. “I threw four innings two days ago, but I wasn’t that tired until toward the end. It was getting harder to keep up my velocity.”
“Evan coming out today was really big for us because we didn’t have that many guys available today,” Panovec said.
Carter exited with the score tied 1-1. Sassman, who is reclassing as a sophomore and transferring to The Hun School this fall, took over in the top of the fourth inning and retired eight of the first nine batters he faced while getting a bump from his offense in the bottom of the fourth.
Ryan Pappas, who walked and stole second, alertly scored on an infield error on a Chase Woodring popup. With Woodring on second, Aidan Feldman singled to left and Woodring scored on an outfield error for a 3-1 Diamond Jacks lead.
Sassman helped himself in the bottom of the fifth when he swiped home on a double steal with Colin Ricciardi taking second.
Tyler Baehre of the Capitals leads off first as Chase Woodring holds the bag for DJacks Gold 16U.
Sassman allowed a run in the sixth but the game was called when the 1-hour, 40-minute game clock expired. Sassman permitted one run on two hits and one walk with three strikeouts over his three innings.
“I trusted my two pitches and that worked – I tunneled the four-seam and slider together,” Sassman said. “I knew I was going to have my stuff. In the bullpen I felt good, that’s when I really knew. Honestly it was when I woke up. I really got a good night’s rest.
“The team really came through today. We got the hits and pitching worked well. Everything went our way.”
Colin Newcomb scored the Diamond Jacks’ first run in the bottom of the first when he singled, stole second, and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The Capitals, from Hartford, Connecticut, evened the game in the third on Zach Pugliese’s RBI single.
In the top of the sixth, the Caps scored another run on Paul Cavanaugh’s RBI double that chased Marco Fortuna around from first base. The Caps had the tying runs on base when the game clock expired. The unusual drop-dead time limit was put in place due to the battle with rainy weather.