Anthony Delpome of Sportika Baseball Academy knows that he’s safe at home after scoring on single by Daniel Kunego.
By Sean Reilly
A lot of things went the way of pitcher RJ Lillis in the top of the sixth inning on Saturday at Diamond Nation, and it led to a victory for the right-hander and his Sportika Baseball Academy 15U Blue teammates.
The first good happening was an unearned run scored by Sportika with two out in the top of the frame, which gave his team the lead over Tucci Elite 15U.
The second was the expiration of the 1:50 play clock along the way, which meant a scoreless bottom half of the inning would give him a shot at a complete game.
The third were two consecutive called third strikes with a runner on third to close out the 3-2 pool play victory for SBA at the 15U Fall Harvest tournament in Flemington.
“I felt pretty good the whole game,” said Lillis, who allowed seven hits, with four strikeouts and three walks. “It made a big difference pitching the last inning with a lead. It changes a lot. I had more confidence, and you can spare a few pitches if you need to.”
It was a good bounce-back effort for SBA, which lost to Wladyka Baseball American, 4-2, in its tournament opener earlier in the afternoon.
It also won despite hitting into doubleplays in three of the first four innings, which was offset by the mound work of Lillis to keep the game close.
The score was tied, 2-2, going into the pivotal top of the sixth inning.
Matthew Masek, who went 2-for-2 with a walk for the Central Jersey-based Sportika, led off with a single to right field. Lillis followed with a full-count walk.
The next batter popped up a bunt to the pitcher, but Colin Rattigan walked on a full count to load the bases. An infield fly to shortstop resulted in the second out.
Vincent D’Emilio then had a 2-2 count and fouled two pitches before taking another for ball three. The Tucci Elite pitcher then tried to surprise Masek with a pickoff throw to third, but it instead went wide of the base, allowing him to sprint home with the go-ahead run.
In the bottom of the inning, and with the clock having expired, Nicholas Ovsag hit a one-out single to shortstop for Connecticut-based Tucci Elite.
Ovsag stole second before Lillis got a called third strike on a full-count pitch. Ovsag then stole third before Lillis got another called third strike, this one on a 1-2 fastball, to end the game.
It might have been his last batter regardless, since his pitch count was rising. But the clutch sequence of pitches took away any need for a tough coaching decision.
“My fastball was working,” Lillis said. “The off-speed was a little off, but I realized I could locate the fastball.”
Tucci Elite first baseman Nicholas Ovsag handles throw from second baseman Luke Firgeleski to complete the second of three doubleplays turned by the team.
Sportika took a 1-0 lead in the second. The inning began with a walk, but the next man grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Anthony Delpome was hit by a pitch, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Daniel Kunego’s single to left field.
Tucci Elite tied in the home half of the second. Kamran Holtzman led off with a walk, and scored after Zach Weaver doubled to left.
Sportika regained the lead in the third. The lineup flipped to the top with two out, and Joseph Vuono started the rally with a four-pitch walk. Masek also walked, and Lillis hit a first-pitch double to right to score Vuono.
Tucci Elite tied in the bottom of the third. Michael Ovsag singled to right with one out. After a fly out, he stole second and scored on Derlin Soto’s single to right.
Soto finished 2-for-3 as the lone multiple hit player for Tucci Elite.
Aside from Masek’s two-hit game, Lillis had two walks and the RBI hit in his three at-bats.
“A lot happened in this game,” Lillis said. “It was very intense, and it felt really good to bounce back after losing the first game.”