Baseball all-stars gain confidence in pool win
By: Justin Feil
The West Windsor 11-year-old all-star baseball team got a jolt of confidence in its final game of pool play.
Though Princeton put together its finest effort in pool play, West Windsor still found a way to win, 5-4, as Scott Feryus singled home Bobby Costa.
"A tight game was good," said West Windsor manager Mark Sitek. "It was a competitive game. Princeton played the best game they played in the tournament. We played well. I had confidence because I had the top of the order coming up."
It was enough to snap a 4-4 tie as West Windsor had battled back from a 3-0 deficit earlier in which Princeton was looking to upend them to force a three-way tie for the final spot to qualify for the Final Six out of Pool A.
"Princeton played their best game," Sitek said. "I talked to their coach. They made a couple diving catches on us. They hit a home run. They did very well. We played an OK game. They played better than I thought they would."
Sitek is hoping his team puts together its best effort when it openes Final Six play 8 p.m. tonight as the sixth seed against No. 4 Bordentown 8 p.m. at host Sunnybrae.
"You have to take one game at a time," Sitek said. "When you look at teams from last year, Sunnybrae won the 10s last year. Nottingham is very good. It comes down to pitching and catching. That’s where we’re a little short."
West Windsor has just nine healthy players available for the Final Six. Costa isn’t available for the tournament, and West Windsor suffered another big blow when it lost one of its main pitchers. Junya Yokoyama suffered a broken thumb running the bases. In addition to pitching, he also batted fourth in the lineup.
"Christian Waters has stepped in to the clean-up role," Sitek said. "We’re going to have to take it one game at a time. We’re the underdogs, no doubt about it. But no one takes anyone lightly once you get to the Final Six."
Sitek likes that he can get contributions from every one of his players. They proved it in concluding pool play on a high note with Feryus singling and also pitching part of the game.
"Ben Weiner only walked one in the game and pitched a good game," Sitek said. "It was a total team effort. Mike Schemitz had a big hit last game. Most of the guys contributed. Zack Everett had a big double. Andrew Clayton had a very good game in the field. Mike Meduski had a good game behind the plate. He’s been a real nice surprise."
Leading West Windsor at the plate was Sitek’s son, also named Mark, who had three hits against Princeton. Both Princeton and Cranbury-Plainsboro finished winless in pool play. West Windsor’s only two losses of pool play came against two of the Final Six favorites Nottingham and Sunnybrae.
"We need to play our best game to beat those teams in there," the elder Sitek said. "They know what they have to do. My kids feel they can come back and beat those other teams if we play our A game. That will be the key. If we play well and don’t make mistakes, we can beat them. If you make mistakes though, they make you pay. You can’t do that against them.
"Sunnybrae and Nottingham are the teams to beat. Bordentown, I’m sure they’re a tough team. If we don’t make mistakes we’ll be in it."

