NB 15’s cap off great baseball season

   The Northern Burlington U-15 baseball team finished third during the regular season and then captured the playoff championship of the Del-Val League.
   Jake Pate (.429 batting average), Randy Mershon (.351) and Matt Vereb (.389) all had solid hitting years. Rob VanSciver batted .340 and led the team in hits, runs scored and stolen bases. Matt DeMille was second in hits and led the team in infield assists.
   Northern Burlington’s success in the league qualified it for the American Amateur Baseball Congress Regional Tournament.
   Northern opened with a 10-5 win over Glenn Rock as Brandon Smith tossed a complete game and earned MVP honors.
   Next up was Patterson. Matt Vereb pitched well, but Patterson pulled out a 4-2 win.
   Northern Burlington followed with an 8-6 win. Jeff Talbot homered and Rob Van Sciver pitched a complete game and won MVP honors.
   Northern Burlington had to come right back and face a good-hitting Bridgewater team. Northern Burlington lost a 10-6 lead in the seventh, but ended up pulling out a 12-11 win in the eighth.
   In the eighth, Matt Vereb singled and Andy Hoyer doubled. Randy Mershon then drove in both runners with a double.
   Zack Traino came on in relief in the last of the eighth with two runners on base. After allowing a run-scoring single, he ended the game with a strikeout and double play. Hoyer and DeMille turned the double play.
   Northern Burlington then met Patterson in the championship game, with the winners advancing to the World Series in Oklahoma. Having played a doubleheader the day before, Northern Burlington was drained and lost to the talented Patterson team.
   Northern Burlington was held to just four hits. Tyler Pigott doubled and Andy Hoyer added two hits. Hoyer was the co-MVP in the event.
   This team has been together for six years. This year was a test, with four players injured and another playing legion ball. Despite the challenges, Northern Burlington had a year to remember.
   Northern Burlington started the summer with a second-place finish in the Gibbsboro Voorhees Tournament. Dan Agos batted .556 with a homer. Andy Hoyer and Jake Dicioccio each batted .545. The pitching was handled by Agos, Hoyer, Matt Vereb, Rob VanSciver, Zack Traino and Brandon Smith.
   In addition to the players named, Jim McCue and Steve Hinkle also had outstanding years for Northern Burlington. The team was coached by Gary VanSciver, Pete Vereb and Chris Hoyer.