By Rich Bevensee
It’s safe to say opposing teams are grateful to see the PA Rebels 2028 National baseball club pull the curtain on its fall season.
With Micah Nelson allowing two hits over four innings and Kellan Niemiec going 3-for-3 with three RBI, it provided the fuel for the top-seeded Rebels’ 9-1, five-inning victory over third-seeded Sportika Baseball Academy Red in the 16U championship game at the Fall Harvest on Sunday afternoon at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
Moreover, by allowing just two runs in four games through the weekend tournament, the Rebels’ pitching staff helped the program conclude a remarkable undefeated fall campaign.
“Our pitching staff has been the backbone of the whole program,” Rebels coach John Fleming said. “Our staff is pretty good in terms of what they can do and how deep they can go. How many teams can run out a guy like Nelson in the championship game and throw 84-85? It’s a luxury we have.”
While amassing an amazing record of 22-0-1 this fall, the Rebels allowed only 25 runs, including just two this weekend.
In the Fall Harvest, the Rebels’ Gabe Gianni (a sophomore at West Chester East in West Goshen Township, Pa.) pitched in a 9-0 victory over Canes Tri-State. Aidan Cugini (a sophomore at Bayard Rustin in Westtown Township, Pa.) was the starter in a 13-1 decision over Combat. And Tom Swasey (a sophomore at St. Mark’s in Wilmington, Delaware) earned the win in an 18-0 verdict over Tucci Lumber.
“Our pitching and our defense were really good all season,” said Nelson, a St. Mark’s sophomore. “Especially our defense. It’s probably what we practice the most. The bats are always ready. As long as we keep the runs down, that’s it.”
Niemiec, a sophomore at Downingtown East, possessed the Rebels’ hotest bat this weekend but particularly in the final, rapping a double among his three hits.
For the weekend, Niemiec went 7-for-10 with three doubles, a triple, seven RBI and seven runs scored and earned the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.
“My bat’s been good all season but especially this weekend,” Niemiec said.
It didn’t take long for Niemiec to change the topic and rave about the Rebels pitching.
“So much fun watching them,” Niemiec said. “I’ve been playing with these boys since 12U. They just go out there and do what they do best – throw hard and throw strikes.”
In the final, Nelson allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out five in his four innings of work. He survived the second inning after he walked the first two batters and gave up an RBI groundout before pitching a scoreless third and fourth inning.
“I wasn’t in it there in the second inning. After that second walk I fixed it,” Nelson said. “I was throwing mostly my fastball but also a changeup, which really wasn’t working, a slider and curveball. If hitters are being aggressive I try to keep them off balance and throw in some offspeed but sometimes you just gotta stick with the fastball.”
The only ball Nelson allowed out of the infield was a first inning, two-out double by Mikey Soriano, but he was left stranded at second.
“He went after hitters,” Fleming said. “He’s not a finesse guy. He’s coming right after you with his fastball. He’ll throw a wrinkle in there once in a while with his slider but for the most part he’s gonna challenge you.”
Kellen Niemiec went 3-for-3 in the 16U Fall Harvest championship game and finished 7-for-10 with four extra base hits and seven RBI in the tournament to earn Most Valuable Player honors.
The Rebels went to work on Sportika starter Soriano in the first inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring six runs on six hits and three walks.
Niemiec was the catalyst for the offensive burst, roping an opposite-field double which landed on the left field line and drove in two runs. He later stole third and promptly took home on a throwing error. Brandon Shaw added an RBI groundout and Will Mackiewicz smacked an opposite-field, two-run single to right.
Sportika made Nelson pay for giving up two leadoff walks in the second when Ty Yunek-Feliciano drove in a run with a groundout.
The Rebels finished off their undefeated season by tacking on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Niemiec was the sparkplug again, cracking an RBI single. Cugini and Jackson Tiberio added back-to-back RBI groundouts.
Blaise Bonnell pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Nelson.
Soriano allowed six runs on five hits and three walks in two-thirds of an inning. Evan Treese did a nice job in relief by keeping the Rebels quiet until the fourth. Over 3⅓ innings, he allowed three runs on three hits, three walks and two hit batsmen.
Sportika went 3-2 this weekend. In pool play the Manalapan-based program beat Iron Nine, 6-2, and Centercourt-Belford, 6-3, and lost to Tucci Elite, 8-5. In the semifinals, Sportika knocked off second-seeded Wladyka Baseball, 10-2.