By Sean Reilly

The players on Diamond Jacks Super 14U knew what it would take to capture a tournament championship on Sunday at Diamond Nation. 

Having previously won six tournaments this spring at ‘The Nation,’ earning another crown would require not only hitting, pitching and defense, but also quite a bit of endurance, since they would need to win three playoff games scheduled back-to-back-to-back. 

After an early-morning scare in the quarterfinals, the DJacks rolled in the other two games, capped by a 10-0, four-inning win over the Mid-Atlantic Warriors Red 14U to claim the Father’s Day Classic, Powered By Pure Rush, in Flemington.

The DJacks went 5-0 on the weekend, with a 44-4 run differential. 

For the season, they are now 38-2-1, with 20 consecutive wins. 

Seven victories in the winning streak are by shutout, including a 12-0, four-inning victory over Regulators Baseball in the semifinals. 

Another seven wins during the string have come by yielding just one run. That list includes the game which almost ended the weekend prematurely, a 2-1, eight-inning decision over the KBC Phillies 14U in Sunday’s 8 a.m. quarterfinal. 

Winning the Father’s Day Classic title would require contributions from just about everyone on the roster, and that’s exactly what happened. 

“It feels great being here every weekend, and taking it home,” said Nick Stangota, who was 2-for-2 in the final, and 8-for-13 in the tournament, which launched with two pool wins on Friday night. “Winning the three games was going to take a lot, but we always stay composed, and always keep going.” 

In the eight-inning win over the KBC Phillies, Stangota was 2-for-3 and scored the winning run on a two-out single by Remington Mortman in the bottom of the eighth inning. Henry Kusant and Mason Matis combined on a four-hitter. 

In the semifinal shutout, Bryson Auten hit a grand slam in support of a no-hitter from Jordan Vesey, who struck out three and walked three. 

Auten came up large again in the final, by pitching a two-hitter with four strikeouts and one walk. He also hit a three-run triple during an eight-run third inning which led to the mercy-rule finish.

Bryson Auten (left) and Nick Stangota were weekend standouts for the Diamond Jacks Super 14U. 

Auten also ended the tournament 5-for-13 with 13 RBI.

In the final, the South Jersey-based Warriors threatened in the top of the second. Hunter Kass hit a one-out single, Cade Jones walked, and after a strikeout, Carter Wisniewski singled to left field to load the bases. A ground out to third base ended the inning. 

The DJacks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. 

Stangota started the inning with a bunt single. He moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third, and scored on a wild pitch with Greyson Letang at the plate. Letang walked, moved to second on a ground out, and scored on a wild pitch with Harrison Politi in the box. 

Auten pitched a 1-2-3 third, part of a string of seven straight outs to close out the game. 

The DJacks sent up the top of the order in the third, and took full advantage. 

Chase Hallett led off with a single to center, Vesey singled to left and Drew Gable walked to load the bases with nobody out. Ryan Jezorwski was up next, and drew a run-scoring walk. 

Auten then delivered the game-breaking blow, a three-run triple to the gap in left-center. Stangota then ripped an RBI double beyond third and into left for a 6-0 lead. 

Stangota was out stealing third, but the DJacks would reload the bases on walks to Mortman, Letang and Liam Freyre. 

Victor Burgos was retired on a ground out to first which scored Mortman. Politi then hit a two-run double to right which scored Letang and Freyre with the ninth and tenth runs. 

“We had a lot of line drives over the infielders which created runners, and we drove them home,” Stangota said. 

It’s a formula that’s led to the DJacks playing a very impressive brand of baseball. 

“The season has been really good,” Stangota said. “I’m proud of myself and the team is definitely doing well. I’ve been able to get on base and use my speed, and my teammates have done a great job of driving me in.”