By Sean Reilly
James Calamia pitched to nine batters in a relief role for the NJ Hammers Red 13U on Saturday afternoon at Diamond Nation.
The common thread in each at-bat was that he was smaller than the batter, sometimes noticeably so.
But other things matter, like an ability to consistently throw strikes. That’s what the left-hander was able to do, and his hitless 2⅔-inning stint closed out a 4-3 victory over Double Major 13U Black for the championship of the 13U Easter Extravaganza in Flemington.
For good measure, Calamia earlier led off the top of the fifth with a single to right field, and he scored on Luca Agoglia’s two-out single to shortstop for a 4-2 lead.
“I was trying to pound strikes in the zone,” he said. “I had to rely on my off-speed pitches because they were big. I tried to stay away from the middle of the plate, work corners and it all worked out very well.”
The score was still 4-2 when Double Major, also unbeaten through four games, loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth.
Calamia was then called upon to pitch, and had an 0-2 count on his first batter before a passed ball scored a run. With the potential tying and go-ahead runners on second and third, he got a pop out to shortstop and ground out to second base to maintain the lead.
In the sixth inning, he induced two groundouts before allowing a walk to Ethan Santonastaso, who then stole second. A strikeout ended the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, and facing the 4,5 and 6 batters in the lineup, a pop to shortstop, line out to second and pop out to first closed out his 29-pitch, 21-strike save.
“We knew this was going to be a good game,” Calamia said. “I really like the suspense. It amps me up.”
Double Major, which entered the final with a 20-2 run differential in its four games, including two 1-0 wins, grabbed a one-run lead in the bottom of the first.
Santonastaso drew a one-out walk, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored as John Espin grounded out to second.
The Hammers took a 3-1 lead with a three-run top of the third.
Logan Pereless led off with a single to shortstop and stole second base before the next batters were retired, on a strikeout and fly out to center.
Ethan Ralph followed with an RBI single to right field for a 1-1 tie. Hudson Ellis walked on a full count, and Tyler Galante walked on a 3-1 pitch to fill the bases.
Leadoff man Antonio Ciccone hit a one-run single to left field for a 2-1 lead, and Brett Mittenzwei drew an RBI base on balls.
Double Major closed to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Mason Vindman led off with a single to center and scored when Joseph Sarrubbo hit a two-out single to left field.
The Hammers, who used a seven-inning two-hitter from Ciccone and third-inning RBI single from Ellis to beat the RCBC Ghost Nationals, 1-0, in the semifinals, awarded the MVP to their entire team.
“This feels great,” Calamia said. “It’s my first Diamond Nation tournament win. I love the fields with the new turf, and how there are a lot of batting cages to get swings in before the game.”