By Sean Reilly
In a weekend full of close games, the NJ Marlins 14U National saved its best for last on Sunday afternoon at Diamond Nation.
The Marlins scored three times with two out in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat the Wheelhouse Marauders, 3-1, in the final of the Summer Finale 14U Red Division Tournament, Powered By Construction Risk Partners.
The win wrapped up a 4-0 weekend, as well as the entire summer season, for the Marlins. The championship was its second of the campaign.
After beating PAC Journeymen, 1-0, in its tournament opener on Friday, it overcame deficits to defeat Rangers RLTW, 5-2, later on Friday, as well USA Prime Hudson Valley 14U Select, 5-2, on Saturday.
The common theme was strong pitching, and clutch hitting, even if it meant putting the ball in play to force the opponent to make plays. And contributions came from just about everyone on the roster.
“Everyone did their jobs,” said leadoff man Ryan McHugh, who was named the tournament MVP. “You have to stay focused, and not let things get to you.”
The Marlins had a very formidable championship opponent in the Wheelhouse Marauders, who entered with a 4-0 weekend record with a 38-9 run differential. The Marauders also went 5-0 while winning the 14U Northeast Championship tournament last month at ‘The Nation.’
The Marauders took a 1-0 lead in the third inning of Sunday’s final. Tyler Richardson led off with a walk, and moved to second on a wild pitch with Charlie Spaulding at the plate. Spaulding grounded out to second, with Richardson advancing to third. With the corner infielders playing in, Matthew Newcombe hit an RBI single to center field on a 1-2 pitch.
Ryan McHugh of the NJ Marlins was named MVP of the 14U Red Summer Finale.
The Marlins went down in order in the third inning, and left a runner on first in both the fourth and fifth.
The first Marlins batter in the sixth popped out to shortstop, before Harold Rodriguez reached on an error and Michael Mendes walked. After a strikeout, Jake Liotti walked on four pitches to load the bases.
Logan Macchia was the next batter, and after fouling off the first pitch, hit a grounder to shortstop. A force at second was in play, but the throw instead went toward first base. It was off-line, and the error allowed Rodriguez and Mendes to score. It also allowed Liotti to reach third, and he scored an insurance run on a wild pitch with Evan Bailey at the plate.
Bailey also pitched the top of the seventh, and after allowing a leadoff walk, he struck out the next two batters looking before a fly out to center fielder Gavin Kaufmann ended the game.
Logan Lewis pitched the first 5⅓ innings for the Marlins, allowing five hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Bailey allowed no hits in his 1⅔ innings of relief, with two strikeouts and two walks.
“I was just trying to throw strikes,” Bailey said. “It was exciting to get those runs, for us to be down a run and come back. We ran the bases well, and we put balls in play. We just work hard. We worked hard all weekend. We’re a bunch of dogs.”
Charles Rourke pitched very well for the Wheelhouse Marauders. He went all six innings for his team, allowing no earned runs and two hits, with nine strikeouts and three walks.