Chase Rich of FB Braves prepares to deliver an RBI single that scored Aydin Gomez from third. 

By Sean Reilly

The Flores Baseball 11U Red Scout team has won more than 300 games since the group started playing together as eight year olds.

That record, against roughly 60 losses, was brought home to the players by their coaches after the Fairfield-based team opened its 2024 season with a 15-1 victory over Falls Athletics 11U at the Diamond Nation 11U Battle At The Turf on Friday night in Flemington. 

The Braves coaches brought home a greater point to the players after the win. Sure, the team wants to win. But never at the expense of having fun. 

That’s why scoring runs is great, but the happy expression on the face of starting pitcher Rehan Rawal — as he skipped to the dugout after working out of a difficult second-inning jam — was even better, especially at the 11U level. 

“It felt great to get back out there,” Rawal said. “It was a lot of fun.” 

The Braves took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Rawal led off with a walk and stole second before Chase Rich also walked.

FB Braves pitcher Rehan Rawal is all smiles after working out of second-inning jam.

A double steal was followed by two strikeouts, after which James Velonas hit an RBI single to center field. Michael DeLorenzo then reached on an error which scored two runs.

Falls Athletics 11U, from Fairless Hills, Pa., began the second inning with walks to Elias Sanchez and Kane Davidson. A passed ball advanced the runners to second and third, before Rawal followed with a strikeout before inducing a pop up to third base and pop up to first base to get out of the jam. 

“I was looking to just throw strikes and keep it simple,” he said. “I know that I have a great defense.” 

The Braves, who have won many of those games over the past few years at ‘The Nation,’ broke the contest open with an eight-run third inning for an 11-0 advantage. 

The inning included a sacrifice fly from Aydin Gomez and an RBI single from Rawal. 

The Braves added four more runs in the fourth, with Gomez hitting a three-run double and Rich supplying an RBI single. 

Falls Athletics scored a run in the fourth courtesy of an RBI ground out from Brayden Gillen. 

Both teams will resume pool play on Sunday. The Braves will face the Bridgewater Panthers (1-0), while Falls Athletics meets TAG Baseball (1-0).