By Rich Bevensee

The Delmarva Aces 12U ballclub is off to one of its hottest starts in years, playing at a level few teams can reach right now, and it is directly related to the players’ resolve to overcome adversity. 

Grayson Sneed was accidentally hit in the head by a bat in batting practice and suffered terrible seizures as a result. Zyaire Wise broke his leg badly and was in a wheelchair for weeks. And tragically, Mark Payes’ father passed away just a few months ago.

The Aces have used these unfortunate circumstances to rally around each other and raise their game. That much was certain this weekend at Diamond Nation in Flemington, when the Delaware-based program captured its sixth title in eight spring tournament appearances.

Sneed batted .625 and pitched 3⅔ scoreless innings overall, while Wise limited a high-powered Diamond Jacks Super 12U offense to just three runs and and Payes launched his fourth homer of the season in the Aces’ 11-3 victory in the Super 12 Invitational championship game on Sunday at The Nation. 

“We have a lot to play for,” Aces coach Chase Rosenquist said. “I told them back in fall when this stuff began to pile up on us, there’s gonna be a lot more to play for than just baseball this year. They are playing for each other and that’s what I’m really happy with.”

Sneed, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, went 5-for-8 over five games with two homers, five RBI and eight runs scored. He pitched a pair of scoreless innings against Marucci Prospects New York in pool play, and another 1⅔ scoreless innings against Locked In Baseball Expos Blue in the semifinals. 

To hear what happened to Sneed, it’s a wonder he’s even playing right now. Last fall, he was summoned by a coach to hit and he walked through the path of a teenage player, who swung and accidentally hit Sneed in the right side of his head. Rosenquist said Sneed was subsequently a victim of multiple seizures and was completely shut down from baseball from October until March.

“It was the worst time of my life. Baseball is my No. 1 thing,” Sneed said. “It was really hard going through that. I had to see doctors so many times and couldn’t even see my boys play. 

“When I was cleared, it was the best moment of my life. I was so excited to be back to baseball and be with my boys. I am so grateful.”

Rosenquist is still blown away by how Sneed took to hitting in the spring like he hadn’t missed a single BP session. Sneed has a team-leading seven homers on the season. 

“Grayson was knocked out for a while and we weren’t sure if he was ever going to play much,” Rosenquist said. “He got cleared in March, right before we began tournament ball, and remember, he didn’t see live pitching at all up ‘til then. For him, all it took was just the grime and the grit. When he was cleared, I let the dog off the leash and he just kept eating.” 

Wise pitched 4⅓ innings in the championship game and allowed three runs on four hits, four walks and a hit batsman, and he struck out two. Colton Webb got the final two outs in relief.

Grayson Sneed hit .625 to pace the Delmarva Aces to the Super 12U title and earn MVP honors.

The Diamond Jacks entered the final as the top-seeded team after beating four teams by a combined 55-8. But Wise held the host team to one run on two hits and one walk through the first three innings. He began to tire in the third and the Diamond Jacks took advantage, staving off a mercy-rule conclusion, albeit briefly, by scoring two runs in the fourth. 

“It just felt regular. I’m used to pitching in big games,” Wise said. “At first I was nervous pitching in big games but I started to get comfortable.” 

Rosenquist said Wise broke his leg in an all-star game last summer and spent an extended time in a wheelchair. His comeback, which included regaining his speed, has astounded the coaching staff.

“Zy’s a dog on the mound,” Rosenquist said. “Like Grayson, it took Zy a while to get back but by March he was ready to go. Now there’s no hitch in his giddyup.”

Payes, the Aces’ left fielder, cracked his fourth homer of the season in the top of the fourth, a three-run shot which gave the Aces an 11-1 lead. Rosenquist said Payes lost his father, also named Mark, just a few weeks ago. 

“The amount of adversity which we’ve taken on as a team has been insane,” said Rosenquist, whose team has built a 27-5 record in spite of its misfortune. “I am so proud of this group for being the teammates that they are. They really do play for each other.”

The club from Middletown, Delaware jumped on top of the Diamond Jacks quickly with two runs in the first, when Evan Donahue had an RBI infield single and Payes roped a two-run single into center.

Henry Schaubman gave the Diamond Jacks hope that their offensive fireworks would continue in the final when he hit a solo homer in the bottom of the first, a laser which ripped through the trees beyond the center field fence. 

But the Aces took control of the game in the third by sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring five runs on two hits, four walks and a hit batter. 

Colton Webb swiped home on a double steal, Owen Nelson and Trent Fry walked with the bases loaded, Brooks Szymanski scored on a wild pitch and Wise slapped an opposite-field, RBI single into left. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Diamond Jacks sparked a rally which came up short. Noah Komline scored on a wild pitch and Alex Wheeler walked with the bases loaded.