Defending champs look to rebound
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
HAMILTON — If the West Windsor-Plainsboro Babe Ruth 14-year-old all-stars are going to repeat as District One champions, they’ll need to take a different route to the title than they did a year ago as 13s.
Last year, WW-P swept through the district tournament without a loss to capture the title. This year, they will need to come out of the losers bracket after dropping a 6-3 decision to Nottingham in the winners bracket final at Switlik Park on Wednesday night.
WW-P looked on its way to a win on Wednesday, but a late rally by Nottingham forced WW-P into the losers bracket where it needed a win on Thursday over Hamilton to stay alive. A win over Hamilton would mean WW-P would need to beat Nottingam twice tonight for the District One title.
”Christian Waters threw a great game,” WW-P manager Pat O’Brien said of his starting pitcher, who allowed just three hits in a shade over five innings. “He started to get up around 100 pitches and his velocity came off a little bit. (Mike) Mazzeo can be equally lights out. We had some passed balls, a couple errors and they advanced some bags and the next thing you know they have the lead.
”The bottom line is we should see this team again.”
WW-P grabbed a 3-0 lead in the fourth when Adam Gostomski walked and Mazzeo followed with a single. After an intentional walk to Sid Kumar loaded the bases, Waters hit a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead. After Nottingham turned a nice third to home to first double play, Sean O’Brien followed with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.
”We were hitting (Chris) Kline and they were not touching Waters,” O’Brien said of the early innings. “We started to break it loose a little bit and then Christian got a little tired. We have a defensive machine and when our bats are going we are going to stay with anybody.”
Nottingham cut the lead to 3-1 with a run in the fifth, then scored five times on three hits, two walks and an error in the sixth for a 6-3 lead. Now WW-P will need to find a new way to win the title. As 13s they beat Hamilton in the finals after Hamilton knocked out Nottingham.
”We have 10 returning players from last year’s club and I added five new pieces, so we have a total of 15,” O’Brien said. “Those additional pieces are in the bullpen where we were a little shallow last year. I know we have a very strong defensive team. And we averaged eight runs a game last year, so this is a well-rounded team.
”I think the team we just got off the field with, as well as the Hamilton team, not to take away from anyone else, but they’re the teams that are really in it.”
And entering play Thursday they were the three teams left standing. O’Brien is hoping his team is still alive tonight for another shot at Nottingham.