By Sean Reilly
There’s a statistical trend no matter the age or level in games contested at Diamond Nation.
If a team’s leadoff batter in the first inning reaches base, that player will more than likely score.
The Morris County Cubs 14U Navy took that fact to another level against Wladyka National 14U on Sunday in the championship of the Spring Fever 14U Silver Bracket tournament, Powered by Pure Rush.
The Cubs had their first three batters all reach and score in the bottom of the first, which paved the way for a 6-4 victory in Flemington.
Leadoff man Tanner Bush started things off with a single for the Cubs, and he scored when Austin Ruane followed with a triple.
Bush added an RBI double in the second inning and RBI groundout in the fifth.
His 2-for-3 showing capped a 7-for-14 weekend, with five runs and four RBI. The Cubs went 4-1, making a nice recovery after a loss in their pool play opener.
“This was probably the best tournament that I’ve had all year,” he said.
Wladyka National fought back to gain a 4-4 tie, but the Cubs pulled in front by scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth.
The Cubs’ first inning burst came after Anthony Abrantes pitched a scoreless top of the inning for the Cubs.
The Cubs rally began with Bush’s single to center, and he wound up on second after an error. Ruane’s triple to center was followed by a walk to Tyler Cerutti.
A double steal scored Ruane, and following a walk to Matthew Shepherd, Abrantes hit an RBI single to left for a 3-0 lead.
Wladyka National got two of those runs back in the top of the second. Aaron Bishop (2-for-3) led off with a single to third, and Maverick Michalski walked on a full count. After a fly out, a ground out to short moved the runners to second and third. Kiernan Kraft followed with a two-run single to right.
The Cubs extended their lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the second, when Connor Henn reached on a fielder’s choice and scored as Bush hit a two-out double to left-center.
Wladyka National tied the game with two runs in the third. With Vin LaRosa at the plate and two out, a balk scored a run before he delivered an RBI single to left.
The Cubs started the bottom of the fifth with Ryan Shepulski reaching on an error and Sebastian Sanabria hitting a single to left.
Henn dropped down a sacrifice bunt, and was safe on a throwing error that scored Shepulski and sent Sanabria to third. After a strikeout, Bush’s ground out to short scored the other run.
Abrantes went the distance for the Cubs, allowing seven hits and two earned runs. He struck out seven and walked one.