Michael Cirne got the scoring started for the FBA Jays with a two-run single in the first inning.
By Rich Bevensee
Chase Garrow never hit a home run on a 90-foot diamond, but there he was Tuesday evening, looking like a true longball threat by going yard for the Flemington Baseball Association Jays.
Jacob Tomson pitched just five innings all summer, but there he was, showing his potential as an ace after allowing no earned runs in four innings in his fall debut on the mound for the Jays.
While Garrow and Tomson revealed a side of their baseball selves no one had seen, the resilient Jays withstood a pair of rallies by Top Corner Sports Blackhawks Black to claim their first victory of the Diamond Nation High School Fall League, 7-5, in Flemington.
The Jays improved to 1-1 and are back in action on Thursday against Hustle Baseball.
The Blackhawks (2-2) will make their next appearance at the Nation for a Sept. 25 doubleheader against Go The Distance and Hackettstown Tigers-Orange.
Garrow is a proven hitter. He led Hopewell Valley last spring with a .406 batting average and ranked second on his team with 26 hits and 18 RBI. But no home runs.
On Tuesday, Garrow jacked a 1-0 fastball over the 315-foot left field fence for a two-run homer which gave his team a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The home run may have come as a surprise to those who have watched him play, but it wasn’t for the Hopewell Valley star.
“I knew I had it in me,” said the 6-5, 190-pound Garrow. “There was a little relief, like, I finally got one over. But from hitting in the cage, you know some of them are really good, so it felt like that.
“There should be more coming.”
Tomson’s exceptional performance was perhaps even more surprising given the circumstances. He did not play in the spring because he did not make the cut for the Hunterdon Central JV team.
This summer he played for the Jays – his primary position is as an outfielder – but he said he logged just five innings on the mound because he was behind a staff of more talented pitchers.
On Tuesday he didn’t look like a pitcher who last threw in a game three weeks ago. In his four innings of work Tomson, using just a fastball and slider, allowed three runs – all unearned – and he scattered five hits with no walks.
“I start off with off-speed because they’re not looking for it, and I just kind of throw strikes. That’s about it,” said the 5-9, 155-pound right-hander, who throws no changeups or curveballs. “I just keep it consistent. Throwing strikes is the main thing. I pitch to contact and try to get out of the inning quickly by letting the defense work.”
Tomson threw just 26 pitches and faced just one batter over the minimum through the first three innings thanks to strong shortstop play by Garrow and a couple of inning-ending double plays. The second one was especially impressive, as first baseman Graham Berry charged in to field Akshar Matta’s slow roller, threw to Garrow at second for the force and Garrow threw to second baseman Trevor Lingerfield covering first base for a 3-6-4 double play to finish off the Blackhawks in the third.
Chase Garrow gets a warm welcome at home after belting a 2-run homer for the Jays in the fourth.
Jays coach Luke Longo knows talent when he sees it, and came away impressed with Tomson. Longo was a Hunterdon Central standout who helped steer the Red Devils to the NJSIAA Group 4 state title as a junior in 2018, and he played collegiately for New Jersey Institute of Technology.
“I had never seen him pitch – I knew he does pitch a little – but to see him get ahead of everyone and fill up the zone, that’s a recipe for success,” Longo said. “To see him shove it the way he did was great.”
After losing an 8-7 game to the Zoned RedHawks last week, the Jays came prepared to fight a little harder to win a close game.
In the top of the fourth, the Blackhawks scored three unearned runs in a rally keyed by Zac Davis’ RBI double to take a 3-2 lead.
The Jays responded in the bottom of the fourth with four runs, a burst highlighted by Garrow’s two-run blast. Also in that inning, Ryan Ganguzza scored on a passed ball and Michael Cirne scored on a wild pitch for a 6-3 Jays lead.
The Blackhawks continued to fight back with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to crawl within 6-5. Davis walked with the bases loaded to force in a run, and Rayan Cama scored on a wild pitch.
The Jays answered that challenge by scoring an insurance run, as No. 13 hitter Drew Augusta doubled and leadoff hitter Matthew Gerard drove him in with a sacrifice fly.
“To me it’s resiliency. That’s the word that comes to mind when it comes to these guys,” Longo said. “We had a tough week last week and I genuinely believe we didn’t show what we were capable of. To see these guys bounce back and compete, it’s nice to see the resiliency.”
Augusta threw two innings in relief for the Jays and allowed two runs on one hit and four walks. Gerard pitched a perfect seventh.
For the Blackhawks, Diego Marcano went three innings and allowed five runs on five hits and three walks. Matt Ressa came on in relief to allow one run on three hits and no walks in three innings with two strikeouts.