The Deep Run Thunderhawks completed a 4-0 run to claim the 12U Summer Classic title.
By Rich Bevensee
In their last visit to Diamond Nation in Flemington, the Deep Run Thunderhawks, a 12U town team from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, came up just short of grabbing a tournament title away from the best club teams which populate the facility.
That was last summer. This year they came back for another shot at Diamond Nation hardware, and proved they can indeed compete with the best club teams around.
After spotting ZT Prospects Northeast a two-run lead, Parker Wentz shut them out after that, Calvin Horoff was in the middle of two key rallies, and the Thunderhawks emerged with an 8-2 victory to claim the 12U Summer Classic championship on Sunday at ‘The Nation.’
“This feels very good,” Wentz said. “Last year we got second place. It feels really good to win at Diamond Nation.”
His coach concurred.
“These boys are tough. We’re used to the pressure,” Thunderhawks coach Bill Burke said. “For being a town team and competing here against all these teams and taking them down the way they did, I’m really proud of these boys.”
Horoff, the starting left fielder and leadoff hitter, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after batting .636 through four games with two home runs, one double, three RBI and five runs scored. He went 1-for-2 in the final with an RBI double, a walk and two runs.
“This was probably my best weekend of the summer,” Horoff said. “The MVP means a lot. I try my best and play my hardest, and to be rewarded for that… We’re all MVPs out here but you can only choose one.”
“Calvin’s had an incredible year,” Burke said. “Multiple games starting us with a home run. Any time we need him, he’s there.”
Wentz gave up two runs on four hits in the first inning which got the ZT fans revved up. It’s an early-game hiccup he’s become used to, but he settled down to give up just one hit and two walks over his three remaining shutout innings. Wentz also struck out eight.
Calvin Horoff batted .636 in four games to earn MVP Honors for the Thunderhawks.
“I do that a lot and I just have to lock in the next inning and keep throwing strikes,” Wentz said. “Coaches were telling me, ‘It’s okay, you have to keep going inning by inning.’ I think it’s from being overwhelmed. The other team was talking a lot. But I got that out of my mind and just erased it. I had to focus on throwing strikes and not worry about them.”
“Parker has been dominant all year,” Burke said. “We saw them (ZT) in the game before hitting off 60 mph and said to ourselves, let’s see what they do hitting off 70. And as you saw he drops his curveball in there at 51-52. Just really tough to hit.”
Deep Run began to inch back with one run in the bottom of the second inning, when Luke Godshall doubled and later scored on a double steal. Godshall finished 2-for-2 with two doubles.
In the second inning, the Thunderhawks took control of the game with a four-run rally. Everett Keer, a courtesy runner for Wentz at third, scampered home with the tying run on a throwing error after a fielder caught him leaning too far from third. Then Horoff and Justin Drews scored on the same passed ball with Chase Rowland batting. Deep Run made it 4-1 with a Zach Wright RBI single.
The Thunderhawks put matters to rest with a three-run fourth inning. Pinch-hitter Mason Harding rapped an RBI single. Horoff knocked him in with a double and later scored on a wild pitch.
Burke said he knew this year’s edition of the Thunderhawks could be special after the team went 14-0 in the Suburban Baseball Travel League, which is a collection of teams north of Philadelphia, earlier this summer.
In the Summer Classic, the Thunderhawks eked out a pair of one-run wins in pool play, edging Morris County Cubs Navy, 3-2, and Bergen Crush, 7-6, before flexing their offensive muscle with a 14-3 decision over the Wyckoff Raiders.
“Every one of them, right down to the one we pulled in at the last minute to hit (Harding), has crushed the ball,” Burke said. “We’re used to the pressure. We’ve been in a few of these tight games already. These boys are hungry, and that gives us the opportunity to win these games.”
ZT Prospects got its two runs in the top of the first when Sebastian Carela had an RBI single and Ethan Kane added a sacrifice fly. Matt Miller pitched 2⅓ innings for ZT and Anay Desai threw the final 1⅓ innings. The game clock expired before the final out was recorded.
ZT went 2-0-1 in pool play, tying Locked In Expos Blue, 8-8, before beating the HT Titans, 13-3, and the Keystone State Bombers, 6-1. ZT edged the New Canaan Rams, 7-6, in the semifinals.