DISTRICT ONE 10s ALL-STARS
Late Denville rallies top
Rockaway Twp. American
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ROCKAWAY TWP. - The nine runs they had just given up in the sixth and last inning of a 14-4 defeat had lost their sting a bit as the Rockaway Township American 10-year-old All-Star baseball team shared pizza and soda with Denville's 10-year-old All-Stars, the team that had just scored those nine runs.
As the players and coaches enjoyed their post-game snack, there were subdued smiles and some quiet baseball conversation about the District One Little League Baseball Tournament game they had just played at Peterson Field on Thursday, July 1 - a game that completed both teams' Pool B schedule.
Denville finished pool play with a 4-0 record and now moves on to a four-team, double-elimination competition with the winners of Pool A, Pool C and Pool D to determine the District One champion.
The Rockaway Township team finished 1-3 in its four pool-play games.
The game was close in the early going - tied 1-1 after the first inning; Denville led 2-1 after scoring a run in the top of the second; Rockaway Township scored twice in the third for a 3-2 lead and added another run in the fourth for a 4-2 lead. Denville took the lead for good at 5-4 with a three-run fifth inning ... and then scored those nine runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach.
"Denville is a strong team, but we thought we had a chance against them," said RTA manager Art Cougle after the game. "It was a great game for five innings - both teams played very well - but they started to put the bat on the ball better in the fifth inning and then just hammered the ball in the sixth.
"We talked to the kids after the game and I told them they played some good baseball in the tournament and there were times we could have played better. But the main thing was that we played four games, picked up some things at our practice sessions and had some fun along the way."
Andre Trujillo showed the fans in the stands why it was fun watching him run when he scored from second on an infield hit for Rockaway Township's first-inning run.
Trujillo was hit with a pitch and took second when Zach Kovach grounded out for the second out of the inning. Cleanup hitter Jonathan Opalewski beat out a single to deep short and Trujillo, who was off with the crack of the bat, never stopped running as he used his speed to fly home, sliding under the tag at home for the run.
After Denville took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, Trujillo got to show his speed again when he hit a one-out single and scored easily when Kovach hit a two-out triple to right-center. Kovach came around to score on the play when the outfield relay was mishandled.
Rockaway made it 4-3 in the fourth when Even Kipp singled, Chris Fritz was hit with a pitch, Dan Byrnes reached when he hit into a force at second, Christian Morales walked to load the bases, and Trujillo followed with a sacrifice fly to left.
Opalewski, Kovach, Fritz and Morales shared the pitching duties for Rockaway Township.
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Madison's solid hitting beats RockTwp American
ROCKAWAY TWP. - It didn't take long for Art Cougle and his Rockaway Township American 10-year-old All-Stars to find out why Madison was the highest-scoring team in the Pool B portion of the New Jersey District One LL Baseball Tournament.
Madison scored six runs in the first inning and went on to a 17-5 five-inning victory over RTA in a game played at Peterson Field in Rockaway Township on Wednesday, June 30.
The victory gave Madison a final 3-1 record in pool play and the 17 runs put its four-game total at 51, an average of almost 13 runs a game.
Rockaway Township American is 1-2 and plays its final pool game against Denville on Thursday, July 1, at Peterson Field at 7 p.m. Denville is 3-0 and has clinched the Pool B title regardless of the outcome of its final pool game since it beat Madison, 8-6, in an earlier game.
Madison put together six hits - two doubles and four singles - to highlight its six-run first inning. Madison scored in every inning, capping its victory with a seven-run fifth inning that gave it a total of 16 hits and brought on the 10-run mercy rule when RTA did not score in the bottom of the fifth.
"They came up to the plate to swing the bat and they hit the ball very well," said Cougle after the game. "I don't think I've ever seen so many well-hit balls go back through the middle.
"But our kids stayed in there ... they came back and made it a two-run game after two innings. We had some pretty good bats in our lineup tonight, too."
Jonathan Opalewski and Andre Trujillo each finished 3-for-3 to spark RTA's nine-hit attack.
Opalewski hit a two-run homer down the left field line in the first inning and finished with four RBIs and a run scored. Trujillo was on base with a double when Opalewski connected and finished with an RBI and two runs scored.
After Opalewski cut Madison's first-inning lead to 5-2, John Boss and Chris Fritz followed with walks, but Madison got out of the inning with no further scoring.
After Madison scored a single run in the top of the second to take a 7-2 lead, Rockaway Township came back yet again with a three-run flurry to cut the gap to two runs.
Evan Kipp and Nate Howell opened the inning with walks and Trujillo followed with an RBI single to bring in Kipp. After Madison got the next two batters, Opalewski delivered a clutch two-out single to drive in Howell and Trujillo with Rockaway Township's final two runs of the game.
Dan Byrnes finished the game 1-for-2; Howell was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored; and Kipp was also 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Fritz walked twice and Boss also drew a walk.
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Opalewski, Trujillo each 3-for-3 in loss to Madison
ROCKAWAY TWP. - Jonathan Opalewski and Andrew Trujillo each went 3-for-3 for Rockaway Township American's 10-year-old All-Star team but their team couldn't overcome a 6-0 first-inning deficit and went on to lose to Madison, 17-5, in a District One 10s Little League Baseball Tournament Pool B game played on Wednesday, June 30, at Peterson Field in the township.
Rockaway Township got two runs back in its half of the first inning when Andre Trujillo led off with a double and scored when Opalewski hit a home run two outs later.
Madison made it 7-2 in the top of the second and Rockaway Township came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning when Evan Kipp and Nate Howell opened with walks, Trujillo drove in a run with a single and, after Jake Cougle singled to load the bases, Opalewski drove in two runs with a single.
Opalewski singled in the fourth inning to complete his 3-for-3 performance in which he finished with four RBIs and one run scored. Trujillo had a double, RBI and two runs scored included in his 3-for-3 game.
Kipp and Howell both finished 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored; Cougle was 1-for-4; Chris Fritz drew two walks and John Boss also walked.
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RTA opens tourney with to Mo'town American
ROCKAWAY TWP. - The Rockaway Township American 10-year-old All-Star team opened play in the 2010 District One Little League Baseball Tournament with an 11-1 loss to Morristown American in a Pool B game played on Friday, June 25, at Ginty Field in Morristown.
Rockaway Township was held to three hits for the game with one coming in the second inning when the team scored its only run. Chris Fritz and Dan Collins drew walks and Zach Kovach drove in Fritz with a two-out single.
Jake Cougle and Jonathan Opalewski had first-inning singles for the other two Rockaway Township hits. Dan Byrnes was on base twice with walks.
Morristown American scored two runs in the first and then put away the game with a four-run second inning and a five-run flurry in the third inning.
