Ryan Tiger, who allowed three hits over 5 2/3 innings, delivers pitch for the DJacks Gold 13U.
By Sean Reilly
Cooper Ralston has a unique way of preparing for each of his at-bats for the Diamond Jacks Gold 13U.
As he walks from the on-deck circle to the batter’s box, he does something that’s served him quite well.
“Before I get up to the plate, I always sing a song to myself,” he said. “It makes me feel comfortable.”
There’s a method beyond that.
“I sing different ones every time,” he explained. “Tonight though, I went with a few Sabrina Carpenter songs.”
Sabrina’s tunes served Cooper quite well on Friday night at Diamond Nation, as he boosted the DJacks to an opening night sweep of two games at the 13U Fall Brawl.
First, he went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI in a 7-4 triumph over the Zoned RedHawks 13U Select. For added measure, he pitched three hitless innings of relief to earn the win in his first big-field pitching performance.
Ralston followed that with another 2-for-3 showing, with two doubles and two RBI, in a 5-1 win over Wladyka Baseball 13U.
“It feels great to feel like I supported my team,” Ralston said. “This was also my first time on the mound on the big field and it felt really good.”
In the first game of the evening, Ralston was called on to pitch in the fourth inning with his team ahead, 4-3, with runners on first and second and nobody out. The first man he faced reached on an error that brought in the tying run, but he got out of the frame helped by an inning-ending double play.
The DJacks then went ahead in the bottom of the inning, with Benjamin Pasuco hitting the go-ahead RBI double and Ryan Tiger adding an RBI groundout.
Ralston had two strikeouts and two walks over his three innings of relief.
“I’ve been going to lessons for a while,” he said. “It was a big step, but the first time out on the big field felt really good.”
In the second game, against Wladyka Baseball, the first two DJacks in the opening inning were retired before Ralston hit a first-pitch double to left. Ralston was the starting catcher, so he was replaced by courtesy runner Chase Samuelson, who stole third and scored on a wild pitch.
Wladyka tied it in the third. Richie Basilicato led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. He scored on a two-out single from Luca Sardella.
The DJacks went ahead with one run in the fourth inning.
Ralston led off and was safe on an error. His courtesy runner stole second, but was out attempting to steal third before Max Bussin walked.
Luca Milea dives back to first ahead of pickoff throw for the DJacks Gold 13U.
Tino Guidicipietro was safe on a fielder’s choice grounder, with Bussin also safe at second. Christian Basile walked to load the bases. Luca Milea then grounded out to second, with Bussin scoring for a 2-1 lead.
The DJacks added their final runs in the fifth.
Pasuco led off with a walk before Drew Novotny reached on a single that dropped beyond shortstop. After a fly out, Andrew Futterman hit a double to center that scored Pasuco and sent Novotny to third.
Following a ground out to third which held the runners at second and third, Ralston took two pitches for balls before lining a two-run double to left.
Tiger had an impressive performance on the mound for the DJacks. He left with two outs in the sixth after throwing 65 pitches (38 for strikes). He allowed three hits, with one strikeout and three walks.
“My fastball was working very well, and I was getting it in the strike zone,” said Tiger, who at one point retired seven straight beginning with the last out of the third.
Ralston was the only DJacks player in the game with multiple hits, while Sardella was 1-for-1 with two walks for Wladyka Baseball.