By Rich Bevensee
All signs indicated during those long winter training sessions that the ZT Northeast 11U club could be a dangerous offensive team.
The talent was there and the players had the drive to improve, according to coach Josh Bini.
“We put a lot of things together, end of summer and fall last year, and we worked on our approach,” Bini said. “There was a lot of talent to start the year so we really worked on how to look for the right pitches and how to put those pitches into play. We did a great job of all that this weekend.”
After scoring 35 runs across its first three games, ZT Northeast concluded its offensive carnage with a 13-4 victory over Hustle Baseball in the 11U April Fool’s championship game on Sunday afternoon at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
Lucas Dimitropoulos, the team’s offensive figurehead this weekend, collected eight hits, including two home runs and two doubles, and he drove in 11 runs. He also pitched three shutout innings and earned the tournament MVP award.
Bini praised Dimitropoulos for his versatility and effort this weekend. Dimitropoulos, an old soul at 11 years old, reflected on being able to man different positions and play them well.
“We’re still just kids. We’re 11 years old. Who knows where we will be playing when we’re older,” Dimitropoulos said. “It’s better to get a feel for all the positions right now.”
That’s very astute for an 11 year-old.
“He did everything right, starting with his attitude across the board,” Bini said. “Whatever role he was thrown into he did a great job – at first, in the outfield, on the mound, in the box. And every time he was in the box he had a great result. I am just really proud of him.”
Another top slugger for ZT Northeast was Mason Rincon, who homered, singled and drove in two runs in the final. For the tournament, Rincon had five hits including two homers and a double, and he drove in six runs.
Bini said Rincon’s biggest change at the plate was his discipline after being a bit too aggressive last season.
“I really changed my bat path and my mental approach,” Rincon said. “I don’t worry about what the pitcher is throwing. Just see it and hit it.”
ZT Northeast took control of the game early and led by 10 runs before Hustle got on the scoreboard.
In the first inning ZT scored a pair of runs on an infield throwing error. In the second, the bottom four batters in the order sparked a five-run rally. Jeffery Grose and Matt Miller walked with the bases loaded, Cole Madden drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Brenin Tapia rocked a two-run double to give ZT a 7-0 lead.
Tapia enjoyed a great all-around game. In addition to going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, he made a superb defensive play in the bottom of the second. Playing second base, Tapia ranged into shallow right field behind first base to snag an Ansh Jariwala pop-up, then threw to first to double up a Hustle baserunner and end the inning.
In the third, ZT added three more runs for a 10-0 bulge. Evan Lynn cranked an RBI double, Dimitropoulos lofted a run-scoring sac fly and Gabe Garcia added an RBI infield single.
Lucas Dimitropoulos of ZT Northeast was named 11U April Fool’s Most Valuable Player.
Hustle showed signs of life in the bottom of the third with a four run rally, and still had two runners aboard before Rincon escaped with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout.
Much like ZT’s second-inning rally, Hustle relied on the bottom of the order to restore life to the offense. No. 11 hitter Parker Romeo drove in his team’s first run with an infield single and Brandon Buzza laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Logan DiGirolamo from third. Anthony Camacho-Osorio had an RBI single, and Buzza scored from third on an errant pickoff throw to second.
With Hustle closing in, ZT cranked up its offensive machine one more time. Liam Madden had an RBI groundout and Rincon got all of a 0-1 pitch and sent it soaring over the left field fence for a two-run homer and a 13-4 lead.
Dimitropoulos came into the game in the fifth to relieve Rincon and struck out two to polish off his perfect weekend of three scoreless innings.
“He’s our best guy out there,” Bini said. “He has the best stuff, and when he puts it together he can be something special.”
ZT Northeast defeated the Niskayuna Warriors, 14-0, Morris County Cubs Navy, 19-4, and Ocean Surge Select, 9-0. ZT knocked off Bucks County Generals, 12-7, in the semifinals.
Hustle posted a pair of defensive gems. In the top of the third, right fielder Matty Polanco made a diving catch of a dying liner off the bat of Dimitropoulos. And in the fourth, second baseman Chase Pinto dove to his left to stop a Liam Madden grounder and quickly sprung to his feet to make the throw to first in time.
Hustle earned the top seed for the final (and avoided a semifinal game) by defeating Morris County Cubs White, 22-0, Locked In Baseball Expos Blue, 11-0, and the Diamond Jacks 11U, 7-3.