Louis Rizzolo steals third for the Warehouse Yard Goats Black.
By Sean Reilly
There were nearly 80 teams competing this week at Diamond Nation in the 17/18U Blue Chip Prospects tournament, Powered By Victus.
Only one had the distinction of finishing with a 4-0 record with the fewest runs allowed.
The Warehouse Yard Goats Black, comprised mostly of players from Middlesex County, was that team.
The Yard Goats opened play with a 7-1 win over Northeast Pride 25 Prestige on Tuesday, and followed with a 7-0 victory over Beast 2025 National on Wednesday.
Thursday’s game was a 6-2 triumph over Nor East Clippers 2025, and with a first-place finish on the line, the run concluded with a 7-0 decision over another unbeaten team, East Coast Dodgers Academic, on Friday.
By finishing with a 27-3 run differential, the Yard Goats not only finished atop the standings, they were also among five teams to qualify for the Super 17 Top 25 Showcase from Aug. 12-15 at ‘The Nation.’
A key for the Yard Goats throughout the week were its balanced offense and outstanding pitching.
There were only a few instances of players finishing games with multiple hits, while the pitchers kept walks to minimum and routinely threw clean innings.
“We’re having fun, doing everything we should and getting W’s,” said Yard Goats leadoff man and infielder Anthony Calantoni, a Class of 2025 player from Edison High, after Thursday’s win over the Nor East Clippers, when a five-run fourth inning erased a 2-1 deficit against the New York team.
Calantoni was 1-for-2, with a RBI groundout, and was also hit by a pitch in that game. Robert Roma, a rising junior at Edison, allowed two hits over five innings to gain the win.
The Clippers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, which began with a walk to Logan Mammola followed by a double past third base by Kevin Kazmierczak. Lucas DeJesus had an RBI groundout to third, and Yanthony Diaz hit a sacrifice fly to center.
Those runs, however, were two of the three allowed by the Yard Goats during the entire tournament.
The Yard Goats scored a run in the third inning. Lucas Cassino hit a one out single on a slow hit ball along the third base line. He advanced on a wild pitch before Dom Innocenti walked. A wild pitch advanced both runners before Calantoni had an RBI groundout to third.
First baseman Justin Hascup (Old Bridge) of the Warehouse Yard Goats handles throw for an out.
The game was decided by the five-run fourth inning.
Lucas Rizzolo walked with one out and stole second. Thomas Schlaline walked on a full count, and the next batter struck out on a full count.
The next four batters – Declan DiCarlo, Zachary Penley, Cassino, and Grant Lorentzen – all walked to account for three runs and a 4-2 lead.
Calantoni then hit a two-run single to center to score the final two runs of the frame.
The single came after a pitching change by the Clippers.
“I just timed up the pitcher,” he said.
It was also typical of how the Yard Goats put things together all week, a point that was stressed by Calantoni.
“Everything has been working for the team, and when it’s working for the team, it works for me,” he said.