Complete Game Academy catcher Carter Walters prepares to make the tag on the game-ending out after taking rundown throw from third baseman Jon Schall.
By Sean Reilly
When Complete Game Academy 11U finds itself in a game with a championship on the line, Judah Hubiack usually gets the call as the starting pitcher.
The team from Lancaster, Pa., wound up playing another Pennsylvania team, the Mid-State Mavericks from Harrisburg, on Saturday morning at Diamond Nation in its opening pool game at the 11U Mother’s Day Classic.
This time, Complete Game Academy had to turn to its ace in relief. He came through in a major way, getting the final two outs with the tying run in scoring position as his team held on for a 3-2 victory in Flemington.
The Mavericks were down a run and with the tying run on second when Hubiack, who was also an offensive factor, entered with one out in the top of sixth.
A groundout to second moved the runner to third, and then after he strayed too far off the base after a pitch, catcher Carter Walters threw to third baseman Jon Schall to initiate a short rundown play which resulted in Walters making the tag several feet up the baseline to end the game.
“It just had to push through and throw strikes,” Hubiack said. “I just tried to throw my pitches. It feels really nice to get a win like this.”
It was a 2-2 game when Complete Game Academy came to bat in the top of the fifth. Hubiack led off with a full count base-on-balls.
Bryce Biggs of Complete Game Academy delivers RBI fielder’s choice that broke a 2-2 tie.
He then advanced two bases on wild pitches before Walters also walked. Walters moved up to second before Schall also walked on a full count.
After a pitching change, Bryce Briggs had a 2-2 count and fouled off two additional pitches before hitting a ground ball to shortstop that resulted in a force out at second and also scored Hubiack with the go-ahead run.
After the Mavericks stranded a runner on second with one out in the fifth against Complete Game reliever Chase Spangenburg, they were stymied against Spangenburg and then Hubiack in the bottom of the sixth.
Complete Game Academy had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Leadoff batter Colton Krous was hit by a full-count pitch, and he stole second and third before scoring on Hubiack’s one out sacrifice fly to center field.
Garrett Curran, the lefty catcher from Mid State Mavericks, makes a throw to second base.
Complete Game Academy extended its lead in the second.
Schall led off with a full count single to left, and he stole second before moving to third on a ground out. After a strikeout, he scored when Seton Haugh hit an infield single near second base.
The Mavericks tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the third.
Dillon Blauch led off, and was hit by a pitch. Liam Boyd followed with a single to center. A passed ball moved Blauch to third before Boyd stole second.
Joey Schreckengost hit a run-scoring groundout to shortstop before a two-out wild pitch allowed Boyd to score for a 2-2 tie.
Victor Martinez Ortiz allowed three hits while pitching the first 2.1 innings for Complete Game Academy. Spangenburg threw three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with two strikeouts and one walk before yielding to Hubiack to finish off the win.
Complete Game Academy prevailed despite being limited to four hits by the Mavericks pitching trio of A.J Green, Cam Morgan and Schreckengost.