Joey Daniels threw only 36 pitches, 31 of them strikes, to lead the Warriors to a semifinal victory. 

By Sean Reilly

He may only be 10 years old, but this season still represents something significantly different for Brooklyn Ferguson on the baseball field. 

Ferguson is now batting leadoff for the Mid Atlantic Warriors Red 10U, and it’s a lot different than his previous role in the lineup. 

“This is my first season ever batting leadoff,” he said. “I used to bat third. It’s fun and I like it starting things up. I don’t really come up with people on base now, so I have to be the one to do it.” 

After splitting two pool games on Saturday, the Warriors entered the playoff phase of the 10U April Fools tournament as the fourth seed out of the four teams in the Gold bracket on Sunday morning at Diamond Nation. 

In the semifinal, his leadoff triple launched a seven-run top of the first inning which led to an 11-1, four-inning win over the top-seeded Capital City Diamond Kings from Schenectady, N.Y. 

In the final, his four-pitch walk in the top of the first launched another seven-run first inning, this time leading the Woolwich, N.J.-based Warriors to a 14-1 triumph over the Morris County Cubs 10U Navy for the championship in Flemington. 

As a bonus, Ferguson pitched all four title-game innings for the Warriors, allowing one hit with five strikeouts and three walks.

“This was great,” he said. “We came in, locked in and did what we had to do. They were huge games that we had to win to get the ‘chip.” 

Pitching was also a major factor in the semifinal victory for the Warriors, since Joey Daniels was brilliant — allowing just three hits with three strikeouts and no walks. He was ridiculously efficient by throwing only 36 pitches, 31 of which were strikes. Seven of his 12 outs were on ground balls by a defense that played flawlessly behind him.

Brooklyn Ferguson pulls into third with leadoff triple in first inning of the semifinals for the Warriors.

“It was fun,” Daniels said of his outing. “Getting those runs made me way more confident and I was able to locate my pitches. The defense was also great.” 

Daniels gave special credit to second baseman Connor Voshell, who handled five of the seven ground ball chances. 

The first inning against Capital City included a three-run home run from Cash Lynam for a 6-0 lead. He ended the game 2-for-3. 

Ferguson, meanwhile, had two other chances to lead off an inning in the game. He walked in the second, and doubled and scored in a four-run fourth which resulted in an 11-0 lead. 

The momentum for the Warriors carried into the championship game against the Cubs, who reached the final with a 6-5 win over Dream Chasers Academy that featured an RBI double from Nick Scudilla with one out in the bottom of sixth, after rallying with two runs in the fifth to tie. 

Ferguson’s leadoff walk in the final was followed by Finley Kershaw also reaching on a base on balls. Daniels was safe on an error which loaded the bases. 

Connor Eichenberg was up next, and hit a two-run double left field. Riley Scolpino also hit a two-run double to left for a 4-0 lead. Silas Schliep was hit by a pitch, and after a pop out to shortstop for the first out, Voshell hit a two-run double to right, compounded by an error on the play which allowed him to score for the 7-0 lead. 

The Cubs got an RBI single from Scudilla in the bottom of the first, but the Warriors added three runs apiece in the second and third innings and another run in the fourth for the mercy rule win. 

The three runs in the second scored on two passed balls and a wild pitch. 

In the third inning, Cameron Danner hit a sacrifice fly and an error scored another before an RBI single from Ferguson, who ended the tournament 6-for-9. 

The fourth-inning run scored on a passed ball. 

Scolpino ended the game 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI, while Voshell was 2-for-3 with one run and two RBI. 

Ferguson threw 57 pitches, 34 for strikes, as the Warriors never had to worry about pitching depth playing their fourth game in two days. 

After the first inning, Ferguson retired eight straight (five by strikeout) until Scudilla walked with two out in the fourth. A groundout then ended the game. 

“I just love pitching,” Ferguson said. “Going out there and shutting people out is one of my favorite things to do.”