Ryan Hadley is greeted by his Complete Performance teammates after pitching a two-hit shutout.
By Rich Bevensee
Diamond Nation’s turf fields can withstand plenty of rain, so when the game must go on despite inclement weather, it presents plenty of challenges for a pitcher who relies on grip for velocity and location.
Count Ryan Hadley as one ballplayer who’s up to the challenge.
Despite a persistent rain which caused slippage for many other players, Hadley, a righthander for Complete Performance Baseball Academy 16U, maintained his cool and his grip while steering his club to an 8-0 shutout of Giac Squad of Nassau County, N.Y., in the Diamond Nation World Series on Tuesday evening at ‘The Nation’ in Flemington.
The top five teams from the World Series qualify for the 16U Top 25 Showcase at ‘The Nation’ in August.
Complete Performance improved to 1-1 with the victory. On Monday it lost to Dutchess Arsenal, 3-2, and had a game with TCS Blackhawks Black rained out.
Giac fell to 2-1. On Monday Giac defeated Junior American Legion Flemington Post 159, 13-0, and Complete Game Colonials, 5-3.
Lucas Eagleston singles to left field for the Giac Squad in 16U World Series play.
Hadley, a 6-foot, 180-pound rising junior at Ramapo High, pitched all five innings and allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out six.
“Being honest, with the water and the rain it was harder to grip the ball,” Hadley said. “But I didn’t have to make any changes. I just put it over the plate and they couldn’t hit it.”
Giac, short for the head coach’s name, Joe Giacomantonio, was unable to cash in on its limited opportunities. Hadley, mixing his four- and two-seam fastball, changeup and curveball, began by allowing a leadoff single to Lucas Eagleston, who eventually reached third. And in the third Giac had runners on first and second with two out. But those were the biggest threats Giac could muster.
Relying mostly on the two-seam inside fastball, Hadley struck out three of the last five batters he faced, including an emphatic one to end the game.
“With the rain and everyone thinking the game was going to get cancelled, everyone was down,” Hadley said. ”But even in the rain, being able to throw consistent strikes was very nice.”
Ryan Hadley threw a two-hit shutout over five innings for Complete Performance 16U.
“Those were tough conditions tonight and our guy filled it up and was consistent all day and pitched to contact, and our defense was great behind him,” Complete Performance coach Joe Sutera said. “When you get those great combinations it takes a lot of pressure off the offense, so hats off to the defense and Hadley.”
In the first inning Complete Performance loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batsman before cleanup hitter John Galka ripped a two-run double to left. Frank Morano soon scored on a wild pitch to give Hadley a 3-0 lead.
Morano resurfaced again in the second, slicing a two-run double down the right field line for a 5-0 bulge.
Complete Performance struck for two more runs in the fourth when Chase Cammarota drove in one with a fielder’s choice and Jackson Veneziano dropped an RBI single into left.
In the fifth, Thomas Werner earned a one-out walk, advanced to second on an error, and used some heady baserunning to score from second on a dropped third strike to Danny Gorab, who reached safely with two out.
For Giac, Sly Dombroski pitched to five batters in the first and allowed a double, three walks and a hit batsman before handing off to Vincent Barretti, who pitched 3⅓ innings and yielded three runs on two hits and three walks with one strikeout. Anthony Sanchez pitched 1⅔ innings and gave up two runs on one hit and two walks with one strikeout.