Brick National team’s run comes to an end vs. TRE
After pulling out a gritty 7-5, eight-inning victory over Toms River East American July 8, the Brick National 12-year-old all-stars’ postseason came to an end last Wednesday.
The victory, earned on Kevin Watson’s walk-off home run, got the National into the District 18 final four.
The team lost Wednesday to Toms River East National. It was held to four hits in the game and its pitchers struggled as TRE scored a 12-2 victory in the game, which was shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule. Toms River East National went on to lose to Brick American in the championship game.
"Our pitching came up short. We thought that might be a problem," said Brick National manager Mike Mann, whose team won four of seven postseason games. "Wednesday was a terrible night. The kids were so sky high from the previous game and they just didn’t get into it. At least we can say we were one of four teams let out of 16 in the bracket and we won our pool."
Brick National was held to four hits, but singles by Joe Goble and Matt Cuccinello came in the second inning when Brick National scored two runs on Chris Simcsuk’s grounder, which was misplayed into an error.
It was a far cry from the night before when Brick National’s bats were belting some big hits, including a solo homer by starting pitcher Jordan Roshla, who blasted a home run that pulled the Nationals to 3-1. Brick scored four runs in the fourth inning for a 5-3 lead, capped by a bases-clearing double by Dan Boyle, who scored on a passed ball.
Matt Dornacker started it off with one of his two hits, and Brett Higgins singled before Watson walked to load the bases for Boyle.
Toms River East American tied it with runs that scored on passed balls in the fifth and sixth innings. Karl Rex got the win with two good innings of relief.