By Rich Bevensee
All it takes is one game.
Watch Dylan Boehm, Dylan Pudlak and the Out Of The Park Cyclones 14U Prospects baseball club for a single game and anyone could understand why their success is marked by absurd statistics.
They play clean, fundamental baseball with a proper mix of patience and aggressiveness. They hit, pitch and play defense as well as any 14U squad in the state of New Jersey.
That’s not hyperbole. Since the group emigrated to the 90-foot diamond last spring as a 13U squad, the Cyclones are 56-1 at Diamond Nation in Flemington, and 106-10 overall.
Because coach Travis Zilg plans to challenge his players by entering the team into 15U tournaments for the foreseeable future, the Cyclones closed the book on their 14U careers on Sunday at ‘The Nation’ with another remarkable performance.
Boehm used his high 70s fastball to carry a no-hitter into the fourth inning, Dylan Pudlak doubled twice and tripled to lead the offense, and the Cyclones steamrolled Locked In Baseball Expos Blue, 14-2, in the 14U Spring Classic championship game.
“Our defense is great, we all hit the ball, and we work really well as a team,” said Pudlak, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Since moving to the big field last spring, this Cyclones group has won 11 of the 12 Diamond Nation tournaments in which they have appeared.
Astounding.
Dylan Pudlak of the Out Of The Park Cyclones was named 14U Spring Classic Most Valuable Player.
“The one thing that stands out the most for us is we have the same 12 kids every tournament,” Zilg said. “We have no guest players and we don’t allow our players to guest play. Not that there’s anything wrong with guest play, but we have the same kids put in the work every week together, and I think there is something to be said for chemistry. It makes them a little bit more different and a little bit more special than most.”
The Cyclones are 20-2 this spring and Perfect Game ranks them third in the Northeast Region, behind only East Coast Ghost ‘29 Scout of Little Silver, N.J., and Ole Liners 14U National of Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Cyclones are currently ranked 53rd in the country.
Those two losses this spring came in the final of a Perfect Game tournament last month in Lake Mary, Florida, and to Top Dawg National of Alexandria, Virginia, ranked 21st nationally, in a Perfect Game tournament in Staten Island.
The Cyclones were in full control of the final from the outset, scoring five runs in the top of the first. Lucas Funk and Vincent Donofrio had RBI singles, Pudlak roped an RBI double down the left field line, Cody Alicea had an RBI groundout, and the Cyclones added one more on a balk.
Boehm, using his fastball 90 percent of the time, set the tone for the defense by retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced, including striking out the side in the third. He also mixed in a slider and changeup
Boehm said he felt better than usual when he took the mound because he did not pitch last weekend since his team had only two pool play games and one elimination game in a non-Nation tournament.
“My arm felt great. It was definitely nice to have a rest,” Boehm said.
“I was a little antsy about not pitching, but I think having a week of rest for my arm was definitely good.”
“I’d say his accuracy and location was good, and his velo was very good,” said Pudlak, who was behind the plate to catch Boehm. “He was just on today. Normally he’s in the mid 70s but today he was pumping.”
Pudlak struck again for the Cyclones in the third with a two-run double. Alicea added an RBI single for an 8-0 lead.
Zilg said he recently moved Pudlak into the five-hole in the lineup because that particular spot lacked production. Pudlak took it as a promotion after vowing to be more aggressive at the plate.
“I was super locked in today,” Pudlak said. “In past seasons I’ve hit 2 or 1 but I haven’t hit too well recently so I got moved down. To get moved back up felt good and to hit like that today felt really good. The difference was I just started getting more aggressive, swinging at more pitches.”
The Cyclones scored three more in the fourth for an 11-0 lead. James Esposito had an RBI fielder’s choice, Funk cranked an RBI double into center, and Esposito scored on a wild pitch.
The Expos spoiled Boehm’s no-hit bid – and his shutout bid as well – in the bottom of the fourth when Noah Dirmann led off with a double, and Ryan Peterson drove in Dirmann and Caleb Frix with a two-run double.
The Cyclones responded with three more runs in the fifth. Pudlak tripled and later scored on an infield error, and Aiden Krasnow walloped a two-run homer well over the left field fence.
Boehm threw one pitch in the fifth to reach 75 and Zilg pulled him for Alicea, another hard thrower who benefitted from a game-ending double play. Right fielder Krasnow snagged a Michael Barbarisi liner and threw to first to double up Leo DiTraglia.
The Expos did not go home without a highlight to fondly remember. In a pool play game on Friday evening, Max Webber threw a complete-game no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and just two walks in the Expos’ 3-0 victory over Hustle Baseball.