By Rich Bevensee
The Diamond Jacks Super 11U ballclub entered the April Fools tournament final averaging 11 runs per game, undefeated through 12 games and seeking a third tournament crown in as many weeks.
And then the Diamond Jacks ran into Jeff Rider.
The young Bucks County Generals Black lefty possessed enough velocity and control to muzzle the Diamond Jacks through four no-hit innings. And when the hosts finally managed to find a chink in Rider’s armor, he buckled down to escape major damage.
On the strength of Rider’s performance and a huge RBI double by Aiden Torpey which sparked a much-needed insurance rally, the Generals snagged a 6-4 victory and the 11U April Fool’s title on Sunday evening at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
It was the Generals’ second title in the three weeks since they broke camp.
“We know they are a very talented group and extremely hard working and it shows every week in practice,” Generals coach Mike McCarthy said. “So far so good.”
Torpey, named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, batted .444 with two doubles, four RBI and three runs in four games. His biggest hit came in the final with the Generals clinging to a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Just moments earlier, the heavy-hitting Diamond Jacks showed they were just starting to figure out Rider, so the Generals knew they needed more breathing room.
Enter Torpey, who struggled at the plate earlier in the tournament. One batter after Andrew Davidson doubled into the left field corner, Torpey drove him in with a double to right center for a 4-1 lead. The Generals dugout went into hysterics.
“On the first day (after going 1-for-3 in a 6-3 win over Diamond Jacks Gold on Friday night) my swing felt a little weird. It felt off balance,” Torpey said. “So Saturday morning I was hitting in my garage and my dad (Sean Torpey) was helping me figure out my balance. After the double I was hearing my teammates cheering more. It was awesome. That was really cool.”
Torpey’s hit sparked a three-run rally which gave the Generals a five-run cushion, putting the pressure on the Diamond Jacks to make a big comeback in their final at bat.
Not that an offensive burst was out of the question. In the 11U semifinals, the Diamond Jacks and the Bethlehem Eagles were tied at 8-8 through three innings before the Diamond Jacks scored four runs over the next two innings for a 12-8 win.
Rider was terrific in quieting a potent Diamond Jacks lineup in his five innings of work. During his four no-hit innings, just one baserunner reached second base.
Aiden Torpey batted .444 and had a key RBI double in the final to earn MVP honors for BC Generals 11U.
In the Diamond Jacks’ half of the fifth, Scott Tiger, Lucas Julian and Aiden Spisso each singled to load the bases with no outs. Rider’s response was to limit the damage to a single run, permitting only a fielder’s choice RBI by Jackson Shah.
In his five innings, Rider allowed one run on three hits, no walks and a hit batsman with three strikeouts.
“I didn’t know about the no-hitter,” Rider said. “I felt good today. I knew in warmups I would have a good game. In the fifth I knew I’d get back into it and finish it. I just thought about me and my catcher, like at the facility in the bullpen. I just thought the same thing here.”
The Diamond Jacks roared back in the top of the sixth with a two-run, dead center home run by Chris D’Urso, making the score 6-3.
Joey Murphy came on in relief and the Diamond Jacks refused to quit, scoring again when Michael Botti crossed on a wild pitch and then getting the tying runs on base with one out. Murphy seemed to find another gear on his fastball, as he struck out the final two batters to clinch the championship.
“Joey swings hard, throws hard,” McCarthy said. “He decided to let it rip there and it worked out. He was pounding the zone.”
For the Generals, Rider was 2-for-3 with two RBI and Davidson was 2-for-3 with a double.
For the Diamond Jacks, Scott Lyons allowed three runs on two hits and four walks over the first 1⅓ innings. Julian pitched three innings and gave up a single run on four hits and one walk with two strikeouts. Brady “Jaws” Jezorwski threw the final two-thirds of the fifth inning and permitted two runs on three hits, one walk and a hit batsman with two strikeouts.