By: Sean Moylan
As Bordentown right fielder Rob VanSciver camped under a foul ball nearly 300 feet away from home plate in the seventh inning, Hightstown’s David Reichmann, who had reached on a hit and moved to third on a Logan Gallagher double, tagged up for what should have been an easy trip to home plate.
But VanSciver caught the ball and unleashed a ridiculously hard and accurate throw to catcher Bryan Henry’s chest area. The throw arrived at home plate so fast, Reichmann was caught 30 feet off third base in no-man’s land. Henry fired a strike down to third baseman Chuck Krichling, who quickly chased down and tagged Reichmann for the last out in Bordentown Post 26’s 10-1 victory over Hightstown last Thursday at Mercer County Park.
It was only right that Bordentown would clinch its first Mercer County American Legion League title since 1986 with a nearly flawless double play.
"I knew there was only one out and I had all my momentum going forward. It was half adrenaline and half arm. It was absolutely the best throw I’ve ever made," said VanSciver, who, moments after the contest, was still in shock over winning the MCALL title.
John Harvey, the Lou Massella Pitcher of the Year with a perfect 6-0 MCALL record, saved one of his best regular season pitching performances for last.
He scattered six hits and struck out five while allowing just one unearned run. Harvey escaped a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the fourth with just one run crossing the dish and he also got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth. Harvey painted the corner with a wicked fastball to record a strikeout for the final out of the fourth. But the heater wasn’t even his best pitch on Thursday.
"My curveball was working well today It worked good all game," said Harvey, who, over the last few years, has developed a tremendous chemistry with Henry (his catcher). "It feels like my best game because we clinched the league. This is my last year so it’s good to go out on top."
When he had to, Harvey threw a handful of blazing fastballs with extra zip to get out of some jams.
"His (Harvey) ball moves. When he gets mad he really juices that ball," said Bordentown Manager of the Year Tom Dolan, who was chased down and given a well-deserved winner’s Gatorade Shower after the big win.
While Hightstown starter Brian Greubel was tough in the early frames, Bordentown’s whole lineup ended up getting big hits by the end of the contest.
Chuck Krichling got things rolling with a first-inning RBI hit to plate Stevie "The Wonder" Giambrone, who had led off with a single to center. But Krichling’s best knock of the day was a fifth-inning "hustle" triple which chased home Andy Hoyer (2-for-4, two RBI).
"I saw the kid in the outfield was just getting to it (the ball) so I took off for third," said Krichling, one of Bordentown’s great veteran leaders. "To get a title in this my third year up here is special."
Krichling later came home to score on a wild pitch and Lou Barbieri had an RBI walk in the same frame.
Previously, Bordentown had plated a pair of runs in the fourth, when league MVP, Matt "The Bat" Moceri singled and scored on Mike Loffredo’s RBI double. Loffredo touched home safely on Barbieri’s subsequent hit to right-center. At times, Hightstown pitched to Moceri, like he was the second coming of Babe Ruth. And the way he’s been hitting this year, maybe he is. Moceri was 2-for-3 with a walk and got on base all four times he came to the dish. His best hit was an RBI double to left-center in a three-run seventh. Bordentown faced some great Hightstown pitching (Greubel, Chris Kubik and Mike Bertuccio) and still got its hits, especially with two outs.
"Hopefully it’s not the end. We’ll need to stay focused," said Dolan, whose great club completed a 19-3 regular season with a 3-2 win over Princeton on Friday at Gilder Park.
Dan Agos got the win as Bordentown used six pitchers in the contest, including Henry, who actually struck out a couple of batter. Krichling knocked in a run with a fly ball. It wasn’t Bordentown’s best Game, but it won anyway. It’s been that kind of special year.
Following the Hightstown game, Joe Giambrone, Stevie’s father, joked, "If it wasn’t for the parents, they wouldn’t be here."
The truth is, he’s right. The Giambrone’s, the Moceri’s the VanSciver’s, the Hoyer’s and other Post 26 parents have supported their children and gone to hundreds of their games since they were Little Leaguers. It’s a special group led by a special manager in Dolan, whose club finally dethroned Rick Freeman’s sensational Hamilton Post 31 club, which had won the previous 11 championships.

