The Diamond Jacks’ Ryan McQuillian looks to bunt against the Santos defense in the fifth inning.
By Rich Bevensee
For all the times we hear from athletes who welcome pressure situations, there’s a ballplayer like Aaron Ludlow who will flat-out admit that he does not want the spotlight at all.
That doesn’t mean he can’t perform in those situations. Quite the opposite, actually.
Ludlow, a 6-2 right-hander with Santos Baseball 17U, was faced with just such a dilemma in the top of the fifth inning against undefeated Diamond Jacks Gold. Pitching in relief with a two-run lead, he began the inning by allowing the tying runs to reach on back-to-back walks.
But that’s when Ludlow showed his grit, even if he wasn’t sure if he wanted be there. He retired the next three batters to ensure Santos would secure a 3-1 victory in the Garden State Invitational Powered by Victus on Wednesday at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
“I don’t know if I’d say I like to be in that situation,” said Ludlow, a rising junior at Pascack Hills in Montvale. “It depends on the game, I guess. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t. That time I was getting close to not liking it.”
Santos finished the week 3-1 and will be under consideration for the Showcase Series in August at ‘The Nation.’ The top five teams from this showcase and four others during the summer earn an invitation.
Santos defeated the South Jersey Young Guns, 6-0, and RCBC Ghost Americans, 4-3, and lost to Wladyka Baseball Continental, 4-3.
The Diamond Jacks finished the week 3-1 and will also be considered for the August Showcase, since every team in the 17-team 17U field has at least one loss. The Diamond Jacks knocked off Wladyka, 4-2, Boston Prime Orange, 8-0, and L.I. Elite, 12-4, in their run-up to meeting Santos.
Jonathan Mangeri, a Suffern (N.Y.) High graduate who is headed for Division 2 Dominican College, gave Santos four strong innings of starting pitching. He allowed one run on two hits and one walk in the first inning, then pitched shutout baseball for the remainder of his time on the mound.
“That first inning took a lot more effort. It was probably the hardest inning,” said Mangeri, a 6-3, 190-pound righty. “It was tough getting through the at bats, especially the 2-2, 3-2 at bats. I threw 28 pitches that inning. I had to cool down and hydrate after the inning. After that I was just cruising.”
Jonathan Reyes scores the third run of the fifth inning for Santos Baseball.
Mangeri allowed just two baserunners to reach over his final three innings while throwing his four-seam and two-seam fastballs and curveball.
“I locate the four-seam better for strikes,” Mangeri said. “Any time I’m ahead it’s just the two-seam. Sometimes it cuts, sometimes it tails. That’s my swing-and-miss pitch. Occasionally I’ll show the cut fastball and mix in a couple curveballs. After the first inning my fastball located better, especially in the second and third, which was a quick inning, that was my best inning (when he retired the side in order).”
With Santos trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth, some patient at bats led to the Norwood-based team taking the lead. Oliver Santana, Jaxon Austria and Jonathan Reyes began the inning with walks to load the bases while facing Diamond Jacks reliever Jacob Vasil.
Ludlow tapped a slow grounder which could not be handled and allowed Santana to score and tie the game. Leadoff hitter Brady Smith then walked with the bases loaded to give Santos the lead. Justin Loffredo added a sacrifice fly to give Santos an insurance run and a 3-1 lead.
The Diamond Jacks seemed poised to tie the game in the top of the fifth against Ludlow when Peyton Keller and Charlie Carlevarini led off with back-to-back walks. But Ludlow retired the next three batters to escape danger.
“That was huge for him,” Mangeri said of Ludlow. “It’s important, especially if you want to play at the next level. Coaches love it. It’s a great thing to have.”
Blake McCagg had one of two base hits for the Diamond Jacks.
“When the first batter was on, he was on my mind, but after the second one I was just looking to get the hitter,” Ludlow said. “Get a ground ball, maybe a double play, just anything to get an out. Nothing really changed for me after the first two batters. I just tried to throw first pitch strikes after that and then get ahead and miss bats.”
The Diamond Jacks picked up their sole run in their first at bat when Blake McCagg singled, took second on an errant pickoff throw, and scored on an Owen Keough single to left.
Liam Goyette, who seemed to not have his best stuff, still pitched three shutout innings for the Diamond Jacks while allowing four walks and striking out three. In his two innings of work Vasil permitted two runs on four walks and he struck out three.