PAC’s Mason Loria scrambles back to first with 802 Elite’s Ben Burnell holding the bag.
By Rich Bevensee
Two weeks ago PAC Journeymen 2028/2029 southpaw Jaxson Moretter slogged through one of his worst outings of the summer, lasting one-third of an inning and giving up four runs. It was what he called a “pretty humbling experience.”
The good news for Moretter was that PAC coach Anthony Lang, who pitched in college, counseled his young lefty on how to “flush” outings like that and move on quickly.
Learning how to flush a bad performance soon became important to the entire team. A week after Moretter’s sour start, the Journeymen were blasted in a two-game set by the Saratoga Stampede.
This Journeymen team has such chemistry, Lang said, that the players would not allow that lost weekend to spoil their final tournament of the summer.
With Moretter now in a groove, the Journeymen rebounded ferociously Saturday with a two-game rush at Diamond Nation in Flemington and are a near-cinch to earn a tournament playoff bid in their farewell to summer.
The PAC Journeymen, based in Rochester, N.Y., swept their pool play doubleheader by a combined 31-0 score, closing out the day with a three-inning, 15-0 decision over 802 Elite of Bennington, Vermont.
Earlier, the Journeymen dismissed South Shore Chiefs-Clyne of Massapequa Park, Long Island, 16-0.
Those two lopsided wins were the bi-product of some fury built up from a week ago when Saratoga tagged PAC with a two-game, combined score of 29-2.
“We had a bad weekend and we came into this one pretty hot,” said PAC second baseman Santino Constanza, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles and five RBIs in two games Saturday. “They (the coaches) said a little bit about last weekend but we just knew that was not us and we’re a lot better than that.”
“They’re a really tight group and they have really good chemistry so they were really able to regroup this week and take it out on the other teams,” Lang said. “It’s their last weekend of ball so they want to have fun out here in New Jersey. Nothing needed to be said. They all understood. They are old enough and mature enough now that they know how to win as a team.”
The Journeymen have a pool game remaining against Slim’s Chance Bulldogs Black (2-0) of Middletown, Del., on Sunday before the top three qualifiers are set for the 15U playoff. The Bulldogs beat 802 Elite, 6-3.
Moretter, a rising 5-11 sophomore at Fairport High in Rochester, handcuffed 802 Elite for three innings and has now pitched 8⅔ consecutive shutout innings. He struck out six and allowed one hit and one walk against 802 Elite.
On Aug. 7, he got the win against the Upper Deck Titans (a 5-0 PAC victory) by striking out 12 while scattering four hits and one walk over 5⅔ shutout innings.
Pitching eight straight shutout innings is quite a reversal from lasting one-third of an inning. Moretter revealed what was behind the flop.
“I would say throwing a pregame bullpen before the game is pretty important,” Moretter said. “Two weeks ago I was feeling a little lazy and I decided not to throw, but I realized you need a work ethic. After not making it out of the first inning I kind of realized it was a wake up call. It was a pretty humbling experience.”
Moretter explained that using a pre-game bullpen session as preparation for the game is more than just following a time-honored routine.
“It’s about getting my body in the right place, making sure I’m moving well, and being able to reach my max potential during the game,” Moretter said.
Harper Rowe drilled a two-run single in the first inning to spark the scoring for the PAC Journeymen.
Coach Lang, who pitched for Rush-Henrietta High in Henrietta, N.Y., and St. John Fisher University in Rochester, said Moretter’s improvement involved more than just listening to his coach. He’s noticed a change in Moretter’s dedication.
“I told him the biggest thing you can do is be able to flush your outings,” Lang said. “But a player can listen to you and still not get it. He’s been really good at practice and focusing on his craft, and it’s showing up in his hard work.”
While Moretter was forging his second straight masterful outing, the PAC offense went about making quick work of their opponents from New England. The Journeymen got started by scoring eight runs in the first inning against 802 Elite on three hits, four walks, one hit batsman and one error. Costanza and Harper Rowe each had a two-run single, Sam Least had an RBI single and Keane Brady had a run-scoring groundout.
In the second, the Journeymen scored four more runs for a 12-0 lead. Mason Loria stole home, Cam Muldoon had an RBI sacrifice fly and Costanza, a rising junior at Arcadia High in Greece, N.Y., drilled another two-run single.
The Journeymen finished off 802 Elite with three runs in the third. Cameron Debree walked with the bases loaded, Loria had an RBI single and Moretter drove in a run with a sac fly.
Moretter, who singled, walked, had a sac fly and scored twice, enjoyed watching his teammates unload on 802 Elite after the double trouncing by Saratoga.
“We realize it’s our last weekend together so we decided to go out and play hard, make it known that we want to be here,” Moretter said. “We had to work hard in practice and make sure we don’t feel that way again.”
The Vermont team’s name refers to the state-wide area code, 802. The 15U squad is the oldest group in the program, which competes in the Eastern New York Travel Baseball League.