Ryan Ewing connects on RBI fielder’s choice for NJ Pride 2027s in 17/18U Super Fall Invitational.
By Sean Reilly
There’s no better follow-up to a tough game at the plate than playing another immediately after.
That was the case for Colin Bruccoliere of the NJ Pride 2027s on Sunday morning at Diamond Nation.
Bruccoliere was very glad that his South Jersey-based team began its day with a 12-2 win over the Powerballers 2 at the 17/18U Super Fall Invitational, Powered By Victus. The only problem was that he went hitless during the game.
The Pride, however, had another contest minutes later against ASBA Futures Navy 2027 in their final game in the weekend showcase.
This time, Bruccoliere hit a two-run double to highlight a four-run top of the first, and added a single in his next at-bat to spark a 10-4 victory that allowed the Pride to finish the event with a 2-1 record.
“It was great,” he said of the big opening inning. “I had been looking for a base hit all day and that one got us going.”
Brayden Falcone legs out single for the NJ Pride 2027s.
Bruccoliere, a junior at 2025 NJSIAA Group 4 champion Cherokee High School, had a single and a walk when the Pride lost to the Philly 17U Black, 4-1, on Saturday.
His team then got three hits, a walk and four RBI from Jackson Gayer in the six-inning win over the Powerballers in the Sunday opener.
Against ASBA Futures Navy 2027, the Pride began the game with walks to Brayden Falcone and Mason O’Brien. After a fly out, Gayer walked on a full count to load the bases. Ryan Ewing then reached on an error which scored two runs. Bruccoliere followed that with a two-run double to left for a very quick 4-0 lead.
“From there, we put up a bunch of runs,” he said. “It was a great way to start the game. It got the dugout up, and once everyone’s up, we roll. That’s kind of how we do it. Yesterday, we fell short of a win. Today we came out and just gave it our all. We had a great first game, and we were trying to do the same thing in the second one. We had a big first inning, with a lot of hits, and didn’t take our feet off the pedal.”
ASBA Futures Navy 2027, which entered the game with a 2-0 record and 14-1 run differential, closed to 4-1 after Owen Powell hit an RBI double with two out in the bottom of the first.
The NJ Pride extended their lead by adding single runs in both the third and fourth innings.
Gayer led off the third by reaching on a three-base outfield error, and he scored on a wild pitch with Bruccoliere at the plate.
Falcone led off the fourth with a single to right, and O’Brien and Casey Shannon followed with bunt singles to load the bases. After a line out to shortstop, Ewing hit into a fielder’s choice that resulted in a force at second while scoring Falcone from third.
A four-run fifth extended the lead to 10-1, and once again it began with the leadoff batter reaching base. Steven Vanore walked, Jacob DeJoseph singled to left and Nicholas DiGiacomo walked to load the bases with nobody out.
Chase Yatcilla makes contact for ASBA Futures Navy 2027.
Dylan Sparks was safe on a fielder’s choice that got an out at second but scored Vanore. The order flipped to the top, and Falcone hit a two-run single to left. He took second on a throw, and scored his third run of the game on a two-out single to left from Shannon.
ASBA Futures Navy avoided a mercy-rule finish by scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth, but the 1:50 play clock did expire just as the third out was recorded.
The team from West Chester, Pa., began the inning with walks to Landon Jones and Tommy Szpak, and Tyler Galczyk reached on an error to load the bases. After an infield fly and pop out, a passed ball scored a run before Brady Hounsell hit a two-run double to center.
Aside from Bruccoliere, the Pride also got two hits apiece from Falcone, O’Brien, and Shannon, who were a combined 6-for-10 with two walks as the first three men in the order.
Hounsell was 2-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch for ASBA Futures Navy.