William Allen’s Jayden Mercado dives back to first safely on a second inning pickoff attempt.
By Rich Bevensee
Thomas Willigan had one of his best days ever as a teenager on Thursday, and it could not have come at a better time.
In the morning, the North Hunterdon junior got his driver’s license, a momentous occasion for any teen. In the afternoon he performed two acts of driving – he drove himself to Diamond Nation in Flemington then drove in the game-winning run for the Top Corner Sports Blackhawks, who were in desperate need of a win.
That’s a pretty good day by any estimation.
Willigan’s RBI single in the top of the third inning proved to be the game-winning hit as the Blackhawks halted a four-game winless streak with a 4-3, six-inning decision over William Allen of Allentown in the Diamond Nation High School Fall League.
Willigan said he’s been learning how to control the mental aspect of hitting – something he said he struggles with frequently – and Thursday’s hit was a step in the right direction.
“Hitting is something I have definitely been trying to focus on,” Willigan said. “Staying on track, trying to lock in, not letting my head get mixed up. I used to feel a lot of pressure, especially with two strikes, and I’m working on just being chill at the plate.”
The Blackhawks (2-5-1) were 0-3-1 in their last four games before Thursday’s victory. And it wasn’t achieved without some drama in the final inning with the game clock expired.
Of its two league wins this season, William Allen (2-2) earned a 8-7 walkoff victory over Go The Distance on Sept. 16, and the sixth inning of the Blackhawks game had that same feel.
Blackhawks reliever Rayan Cama, a North Hunterdon senior, issued walks to the first two William Allen batters to lead off the sixth. With the potential tying and winning runs on base, the pressure was certainly on the right-handed Cama, a seldom-used pitcher.
It was just the third relief appearance for Cama this fall, and before league play began, he had not pitched in two years.
“I was a little nervous,” Cama said. “I don’t really pitch much so I was just trying to throw strikes and let them hit the ball and let my team play defense.”
Cama’s faith was soon justified with a game-ending double play. After a strikeout, shortstop Diego Marcano turned in a defensive gem by catching a sinking liner off the bat of Jadiel Sarmiento and quickly tossing to second baseman Lucas Kislan who doubled up Joargenis Centeno who had drifted too far off second base.
Lucas Kislan scores a run in the third inning for the TCS Blackhawks.
Even after the dramatic ending, Cama said he enjoys the pressure of situations like that and accepts the nervousness as part of the job.
“And I knew the defense had my back,” he said.
The Blackhawks scored in each of the first three innings to take a 4-1 lead, but William Allen kept fighting back. It scored twice in the bottom of the third to get within 4-3, where the score stayed.
At times Wiliam Allen was its own worst enemy offensively. Two runners were picked off third and two more were thrown out stealing. William Allen left six runners stranded, three in scoring position.
The Blackhawks opened the scoring in their first at bat when Cama drove in Kislan with a two-out single.
In the second, Andrew Watkins had an RBI single to push across Aaron Stacknick, and soon stole home on a double steal for a 3-0 lead.
William Allen answered with a run in the bottom of the second when Yorvi Lockhart was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. With two out, Blackhawks starter Jason Holterman picked a William Allen runner off third to escape further damage.
In the top of the third Willigan provided that much-needed insurance run with a one-out single up the middle to score Kislan.
William Allen made it a one-run game in the bottom of the third. Sebastian Pena singled to left to drive in Jakxiel Rodriguez and Daviel Orozco stole home while Pena decoyed for him with a half-speed run to second.
For the Blackhawks, Holterman pitched 2⅔ innings and allowed three runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Andrew Hilderbrand pitched 1⅓ shutout innings while allowing one hit and two walks. Cama pitched the sixth inning.
“A win feels amazing, especially after struggling a little bit,” Willigan said. “This will improve our team morale a lot. We definitely have tried our best at keeping our energy up. But a win will make a big difference.”
For William Allen, Lockhart permitted four runs in three innings on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Hannley Torres threw three shutout innings in relief, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out three.