By Sean Reilly
As a highly-successful team, Bakes Brewers has a quality that often remains hidden.
But this weekend at Diamond Nation, it was on full display. The Shore-based team happens to be a very resilient bunch.
Bakes Brewers played four games at the 11U Boys of Summer tournament. And in the final three, including the championship against the North Jersey Diamondbacks 11U Maroon, the Brewers had to come back in order to win. The capper was its 6-2 triumph over the Diamondbacks for the title on Sunday evening.
The win completed a 4-0 weekend, with a 39-9 run differential for Bakes Brewers, which now has an overall record of 50-14-2 in 2024.
The Brewers beat the Diamondbacks after falling behind, 2-0, in the top of the first.
That came immediately after an 11-3 winner-take-all pool win over the Diamond Jacks Super 11U in which it trailed, 3-0, in the first inning.
And in its prior pool game, a 7-4 victory over the Locked In Baseball Expos on Saturday, it fell behind, 2-0, in the top of the first.
“I just knew that when we fell behind in the first inning, that we were going to bounce back,” said Tyler Jaxon Ballard, who was selected tournament Most Valuable Player.
Tyler Ballard of Bakes Brewers was named 11U Boys of Summer MVP.
Ballard was 2-for-3 in the final, while also making several impressive plays at shortstop. He was 5-for-10 over the entire tournament, and pitched a two-hitter in the pivotal win over the Diamond Jacks.
Brody Kuhmann was the winning pitcher in the final. He allowed four hits, with five strikeouts and five walks.
Kuhmann showed poise in working out of several difficult spots, including a man on second, with one out in the third, and second and third with one out in the fourth.
“I had to stay composed and trust my defense,” he said. “I was going with my fastball. I also dropped in a couple curve balls.”
The Diamondbacks, who ended the weekend 3-1 with a 45-22 run difference, took a quick 2-0 lead in the first. Cruz Crosby led off with a walk, and he advanced to third after Sebastian Carballo singled to right. Carballo stole second, and both scored when Vinny Altieri singled to left field.
Bakes Brewers answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Ballard doubled to center with one out and Kyle Kampf walked. Kuhmann followed with an RBI single to center which also sent Kampf to third.
After Kuhmann stole second, Zach Powell hit a grounds rule double to center for a 3-2 lead.
The score held until the bottom of the fourth. Maddox Sterenczak (2-for-3) reached on an infield single with one out for the Brewers, and advanced to second on a throwing error on the play. Tyler Baker was up next, and he hit an RBI double to center.
The last two runs came in the fifth. Powell led off with a walk, and Nate Waitzel hit a single to left. Joseph Pollio bunted the runners over to second and third, and they scored when Michael Lutkiewicz doubled to right field.
“I had a lot of fun this weekend,” Ballard said. “I got to make a lot of plays and we played well.”