By Sean Reilly
A few minutes after his FTB Falcons Scout Team captured the Diamond Nation 17U Super Top 25 Showcase Series championship on Wednesday afternoon, Ernesto Ortiz found a unique way to celebrate.
Ortiz, the leadoff batter and shortstop for the New York City-based team, entertained his fellow Falcons by doing a couple of backflips in front of the dugout.
Aside from being impressive, the flips also mirrored the enthusiasm and athleticism he showed throughout his team’s 8-0 victory over the East Coast Ghost Select in the showcase final on Field 7 at ‘The Nation.’
The game paired teams that were 3-0 during the week after also going 4-0 in tournaments earlier this summer in order to qualify.
The Falcons had outscored their three prior opponents, 17-3, while the East Coast Ghost Scout entered with a 22-1 run difference for the week.
Winning wasn’t going to be easy. But the Falcons had Ortiz on its side, as well as Jayden Torres on the mound. That combination, along with a clutch hitting performance from Jalen David, the No. 10 batter in a 10-man lineup, were enough to end the game in six innings.
Ortiz went 2-for-3 with a walk. He set a major tone by scoring on a straight steal of home in the top of the first, which also played a role in his scoring on a balk later in the game. In between, he hit an RBI single.
Ortiz, who was named tournament MVP, also made two outstanding defensive plays at shortstop, which enabled Torres to pitch no-hit ball until he exited after reaching a pitch limit with one out in the sixth.
David hit an RBI single in the second inning, added a run-scoring groundout in the fourth, and singled and scored on an Ortiz hit in the sixth.
“I was just trying to do my job, and make us better,” Ortiz said.
He began the game by drawing a walk. After Abel Ortiz was hit by a pitch, an error on a pickoff to first resulted in runners moving to first and third. The next two batters struck out.
Joseph Banks drew a walk to load the bases, which is when Ortiz put some prior reads to use by taking off for home following a throw from the catcher back to the pitcher during Miguel Reich’s at-bat. He slid in safely ahead of a rushed return throw to the plate.
“I tried to catch on to his timing, and he was pretty consistent, so I knew when to go,” Ortiz said. “I looked for a pattern and I saw it.”
It was the second time this year he pulled off a straight steal of home.
The two remaining base runners then pulled off a double steal, and an errant throw to third allowed Abel Ortiz to continue home for 2-0 lead.
The Falcons added another two-out run to extend the lead to 3-0 in the second inning.
Ernesto Ortiz of FTP Falcons Scout was named MVP of the Super 17U Top 25 Showcase.
Jacob Severino led off with a walk. After a fly out, the next batter struck out, but Severino stole second on the third strike. David then hit an RBI single to shortstop, with Severino scoring after running non-stop on contact.
In the bottom of the second, Ortiz made back-to-back spectacular plays, one in which he ranged behind second base to field a ball hit up the middle. He made a sliding stop before quickly firing to first for an out.
“I love those,” he said. “I want every ground ball.”
The Falcons added two more runs in the fifth, getting the RBI ground out from David with one out, followed by the run-scoring single to center by Ortiz to center field, on a full count and with the infield playing in.
The remaining three runs came in the sixth. Fernandez reached on a fielder’s choice force out, and David singled over the head of a leaping shortstop. With the lead runner on second, Ortiz hit an RBI single to right.
Abel Ortiz hit a sacrifice fly to right field for a 7-0 score, and Ernesto Ortiz scored the final run on a balk after taking a large lead off of third.
Torres, meanwhile, took a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning. He struck out the first batter before exiting with a total of seven strikeouts and four walks.
Ben LaPierre was up next for East Coast Ghost Select, and greeted the reliever with a single to center. After a stolen base and walk, the next two batters were retired to end the game.
“My fastball, it really felt like I was staying behind it,” Torres said. “My curveball had a really good spin, and I was using my back leg way more than I usually do. I also had my offense and defense back me up. His plays at shortstop were elite.
“It also feels great to win this tournament,” Torres says. “Especially since it was full of really good, hard-working teams.”
“It’s great to come out here and compete,” Ortiz said. “I love the competition.”