By Sean Reilly
Mason Rincon has never been to Cooperstown, N.Y., home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as the All-Star Village complex.
That will change in late June, since Rincon and his Flores Baseball 12U Braves are headed to Cooperstown for the inaugural Ripken National Championship tournament.
The FB Braves earned their trip by completing a highly-impressive unbeaten weekend at Diamond Nation with a 10-2 triumph over Ascent Athlete Scout 12U from Pennsylvania in the championship of the Ripken Regional qualifier in Flemington.
The Braves went 5-0 in the tournament, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 58-7. Only one of the wins by the Fairfield-based team required a full six innings of play.
Rincon was spectacular along the way. He was 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs and two RBI in the final, and 10-for-12, with 10 runs and nine RBI, for the weekend, a performance which earned him the tournament Most Valuable Player award.
The Braves entered the weekend with a point to prove. They were 12-1 on the season (the lone loss was in Texas on March 1) until dropping consecutive games at a tournament last week in Staten Island. The second of those defeats was a 13-3 loss to the same Ascent Athlete team it was facing in the Ripken final.
That made the Braves especially primed for their weekend at ‘The Nation.’ There was the prestige factor of the tournament, and also the chance of bouncing back, with a possible rematch as a bonus.
“This tournament means the world to myself and my team,” Rincon said. “We were really looking forward to this. Last week, I wasn’t really good with the stick. We got our revenge, and at a special tournament. Being able to go to Cooperstown is one of my dreams.”
Mason Rincon of FB Braves 12U Red was named Ripken Regional Qualifier MVP at ‘The Nation.’
He’s also received prior tournament MVP awards, but this one was different.
“I’ve had other ones before, but this one is definitely special,” Rincon said. “This is the best one.”
The championship paired two teams that thrive on big hits.
Ascent Athlete hit seven home runs against Braves pitching in the game last week, and 21 in its four prior Ripken qualifier games at Diamond Nation.
The FB Braves, meanwhile, hit 13 home runs in the four games leading into the final.
It was a big deal, then, when FB Braves starter Will Hoffman struck out the side in the top of the first inning of the final.
It became a bigger deal when the Braves opened a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the frame.
Carter Fusco got the rally started by drawing a one-out walk, and Rincon walked with two out. Manoli Vasilakis then had a 3-1 count when he singled to center field to score Fusco and send Rincon to second. With Israel Tavarez at the plate, Rincon stole third and scored when the throw sailed into the outfield.
Hoffman, meanwhile, pitched a 1-2-3 second inning, and also pitched a scoreless third thanks to center fielder Tavarez throwing out a runner at home trying to score from second on a two-out single by Nicky Melasecca.
The Braves then broke the game open by scoring six times in the bottom of the third.
Fusco, who ended the game 2-for-2 with two walks, led off with a grounds rule double to left-center. Hoffman was hit by a pitch, and the runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch with Rincon at the plate.
Rincon capitalized by hitting a two-run single to center on a 2-2 pitch, and he also took second on a throw to the plate. After a fly out, Tavarez reached on an error that scored Rincon for a 5-0 lead.
Tavarez stole second before the next man struck out. Brandon Cross followed, however, with a two-run home run to center, which was his first of the tournament.
The Braves weren’t yet done in the inning, since Chase Redgate singled to right field and Garrett Weir walked. Nick Vanjonack then hit a long RBI single off the fence in center field for an 8-0 lead.
Ascent Athlete scored the next two runs, with Jax Solomon leading off the fourth with a home run to right field and Jacob Fisher adding an RBI ground out in the fifth.
The Braves then completed their memorable weekend by scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth for a mercy rule finish.
Johnny Vacca led off with a single through the middle and Weir walked. The runners advanced on a wild pitch before Vanjonack walked. Fusco then ended the game with a two-run single to right. He ended the tournament 8-for-11.
“It was really about having confidence in each other,” Rincon said. “We locked back in. Last week, we were not as focused. We were smart with our game plan, and we executed. And now, we’re going to Cooperstown.”
RIPKEN NATIONAL QUALIFIER PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD
CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
Final
FB Braves Red 10, Ascent Athlete Scout 2
(FB Braves advance to Ripken Nationals in Cooperstown, N.Y.)
Semifinals
Ascent Athlete Scout 18, Marlton Chiefs 3
FB Braves Red 10, Tucci Elite 0
Quarterfinal
Ascent Athlete Scout 11, Surge Legacy 2
GOLD BRACKET
Final
Bergen Crush 4, Delaware Fury 3
Semifinals
Delaware Fury 18, CK Cardinals Red 16
Bergen Crush 11, Nor East Clippers National 3
Quarterfinal
Nor East Clippers National 11, Rucci Baseball Carolina 10
SILVER BRACKET
Final
Central Penn Renegades 8, Diamond Jacks Super 12U 6
Semifinals
Diamond Jacks Super 12U 8, Diamond Jacks 11U 4
Central Penn Renegades 12, Zoned Red Hawks 4
Quarterfinal
Zoned Red Hawks 16, Diamond Jacks Gold 12U 13
BRONZE BRACKET
Final
West Essex Junior Knights 9, Performance Baseball 3
Semifinals
Performance Baseball 15, Montclair Bulldogs 5
West Essex Junior Knights 15, Pine Bush Rebels Select 7