Jake Walman had a two-run double to left-center in the first inning for Team Boston.
It may be all about development and finding the right college home for their players, but when that is done correctly you get what Team Boston produced on Wednesday morning at Diamond Nation.
Team Boston received strong pitching from Brady Miller and Jason Potvin and timely hitting from an array of spots in its batting order on the way to an 8-1 victory over Mid Atlantic Hurricane in the Super 17 World Series.
The lefthander Miller, on a strict pitch count, was impressive in shutting out the Hurricanes on one hit over the first 3.1 innings. He struck out three and walked two in a fairly today 54 pitches. J.T. Anderosky singled to shallow right field with one out in the fourth to break up what was a no-hitter to that point.
“I was working my curveball and off-speed stuff, mostly,” said Miller. “The first half of the summer I was working on my fastball and location. Now I’m trying to be right on my front side. My mechanics could have been better but I’m getting there. I’ve experienced a lot this summer. ”
Miller struck out Joe Wilga for the second out of the fourth inning while Anderosky stole second and third base. Potvin replaced Miller at that point and induced Alex Bougard to fly out to center field on a 3-2 pitch to end the threat.
Potvin closed it out from there, permitting one run on one hit over the final mostly tidy 2.1 innings, striking out one and walking one.
Meanwhile the Team Boston bats had struck early in support of Miller, then gave Potvin even more working room with a three-run rally in the top of the sixth.
“The bats came alive this game,” said Team Boston coach Jason Evans. “Our pitching has been strong right along. It’s not about the wins and losses. We’re trying to develop kids and get them placed.”
Team Boston (1-0) struck for two runs in the first inning and two more runs in the second to build an early 4-0 lead.
Nick Coletti drew a lead off in the first, stole second and reached third on Alex Bodnar’s bloop single to right field. Mid Atlantic Hurricane starter Walker Goodman nearly got out of the jam clean but Jake Walman, Team Boston’s No. 5 hitter, laced a two-out double into left-center field to chase both runners home.
Team Boston was set up nicely in the second when Mark McKay, Jr. drew a leadoff walk, stole second and reached third on Isaiah Pinto’s single to shallow right field. Alexander Marancik’s slow roller down the third base line was mishandled and Team Boston had the bases loaded with none out. Tyler Mahon and Coletti each drew a walk to force in a run and boost the lead to 4-0, but the Hurricanes got out of it from there.
John Hankwitz, batting in the No. 11th spot in the Team Boston batting order, singled leading off the fifth inning. Coletti was hit by a pitch and both runners moved up on a fielder’s choice grounder. Bodnar then hit a deep-enough fly ball to center field to enable Hankwitz to tag at third and score, lifting the lead to 5-0.
The Hurricanes finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth.
Nick Carter led off and singled through the middle. He stole second and reached third base on Tony DeMichael’s fielder’s choice bouncer to the left side. Reece Hirch then delivered Carter on a bouncer to third.
Team Boston tacked on three more runs in the sixth and a big two-out hit was again a key to the rally.
Walman drew a leadoff walk before lefty-hitting Jax Budgell pulled a laser into the right-center field gap for a triple. Walman scored easily from first. Pinto was hit by a pitch with one out Tyler Mahon drew a two-out walk to load the bases.
Hankwitz then ripped a shot through the left side for a single that delivered two more runs and boosted the Team Boston lead to 8-1.
Team Boston plays the Bell Ringers next at 10 a.m. on Thursday at Railroad. Mid Atlantic Hurricanes (1-1) takes on 9ers Baseball Club at 8 a.m. at Raritan Valley. The Hurricanes had defeated Complete Performance Baseball Academy, 8-4, earlier on Wednesday.