To view game action photos, visit the photo gallery at the following link: http://photos.suburbanonesports.com/
PHILADELPHIA – Players from both teams were reluctant to leave the field after Wednesday’s Carpenter Cup final at Citizens Bank Park pitting the SOL National-Bicentennial squad against Burlington County.
It was hard to blame them.
In this case, the outcome – a 2-1 Burlington County win – was perhaps less important than the experience.
“It’s a once in a lifetime experience for most people,” Council Rock North’s Scott Runzer said of playing in the all-star classic at the home of the world champion Philadelphia Phillies. “I was just happy to be here, happy to play.
“We played a good game. We wanted to win, but both teams played real well. I was satisfied.”
And there wasn’t a whole lot to be dissatisfied about in a title game that featured the two teams still standing from the 16-team field that began play in the single elimination tournament 10 days earlier.
“It’s really fun,” Neshaminy senior Brian Fiocco said. “We won it last year, but I’m still happy. I had a chance to play here (at Citizens Bank Park) four times. It’s really a good experience.”
Everyone had their own story, their own perspective on this year’s run to the title game.
Truman sophomore Brian Beyer, who smoked a one-out double into deep left center in the eighth, admits he was a bit unnerved initially but settled in when it came time to take the field at the Bank.
“It’s the greatest feeling ever,” he said. “Just being on this field is great.
“I was a little shaky, a little nervous, but then I got on the field and felt fine. It was a great thrill, and the guys are great – every guy is funny. I love being with them.”
For Truman teammate Josh Patman, who has accepted a baseball scholarship to Delaware State, simply being back in action was a bonus after sitting out the first month and a half of the season recuperating from surgery in March for a torn MCL.
“It was very tough,” he said. “It was actually hard to come back, and I still have pain, but I’m working my way back slowly.
“It felt good to be back here another year. I really thought we were going to pull it out, but we came up a little short.”
It looked as though the SOL-BAL might be able to pull it out in the ninth.
Down by one, Tennent’s Pat Traczykiewicz drew a one-out walk. Kelly Adams followed with his second hit of the day – a bloop single to shallow left, and the SOL-BAL was in business.
But Burlington reliever James Coughlin coaxed a groundout to first base out of the next batter he faced, and another groundout – this one to short with SOL-BAL runners on second and third - brought an end to the threat and the ball game.
The sequence underscored a recurring theme for the SOL-BAL, which put runners aboard in every inning but two but plated just one run.
“We were getting our hits here and there, but half our hits were with two outs, and you can’t really do anything with that,” Neshaminy’s Brian Fiocco said. “Even our one run was scored with two outs. We just weren’t hitting at the right time.”
In a preview of things to come, Tyler Orr singled to right with two outs in the second. The recent Neshaminy grad immediately stole second, and when Abington’s Corey Hower drew a walk, the SOL-BAL had runners on first and second.
That’s where the threat ended.
In the third, Fiocco lined a two-out single to right. Starter and winning pitcher Kevin Comer retired the next batter on a popup to short.
“Their first two pitchers were throwing hard,” Runzer said. “All their pitchers were good. We couldn’t get the bats going.
“We hit it in the air too much, and they were tracking it down. Nothing dropped in for us, and we didn’t get the breaks.”
Runzer and all the pitchers who took the mound certainly did their part to keep the SOL-BAL in the game. Council Rock South’s Greg Welsh received the starting nod and worked two scoreless frames. Runzer followed with three scoreless innings, and he was particularly impressive in the fourth.
The inning started with John Montemurro reaching second on a two-base error. One out later, Eric Barbieri hit a bloop double to shallow center, but Montemurro – who was forced to hold at second – only advanced to third on the play.
Runzer fanned the dangerous Tyler Powell with a nasty two-strike curveball for the inning’s second out, and for good measure, the Rock North ace fanned the next batter he faced to slam the door on that potential rally.
“When I had guys on second and third, it’s easier to strike someone out,” Runzer said. “I was trying to keep the ball in the infield.
“I felt good. The most important thing for me is to keep it down and hit my spots.”
In the fifth, the trend of two-out hits continued when Neshaminy’s Rick Brebner singled with two outs and stole second. Again, the SOL-BAL came up empty.
In the sixth, the SOL-BAL finally got on the scoreboard with – what else – a two-out rally. This one began when Truman’s Christopher Bechter reached second on a two-base error. He scored when Council Rock South’s Eric Ebert doubled to deep right.
In the bottom of the inning, Burlington answered with a run when Montemurro, who walked, scored on Eric Barbierei’s single to right, knotting the score 1-1.
One inning later, Burlington County plated an unearned run. It was enough to earn the 2-1 win and the Carpenter Cup crown.
Enjoying the experience as much as the players were the coaches.
“Even at 58, this is exciting,” said Bensalem coach Rick Lee, an SOL-BAL assistant. “I was at the Vet (Veteran’s Stadium) for the first two in ’86 and ’87, and I was here again in 2000 and 2001.
“Hey, I love baseball. I love all sports. Being down here, being around these kids – it’s a great experience. That’s another reason I brought the nine-year-old (son Ivan). I want him to get a taste of what it’s like.”
And for the four teams fortunate enough to advance to Citizens Bank Park – it was a taste of baseball heaven.
BURLINGTON COUNTY 2, SOL NATIONAL-BICENTENNIAL 1
SOL National-Bicentennial: Billy Fleming ss 3 0 0 0; Matt hone ss 2 0 0 0; Brian Fiocco 2b 2 0 1 0; Johnny Schiotis ph/2b 2 0 0 0; Ryan Seiz c 2 0 0 0; Brian Beyer c 2 0 1 0; Greg Olenski dh 2 0 0 0; Christopher Bechter dh 2 1 0 0; Shane Coleman 3b 2 0 0 0; Eric Ebert 3b 2 0 1 1; Tyler Orr rf 2 0 1 0; Nick Mascioli ph/rf 2 0 0 0; Corey Hower cf/lf 1 0 0 0; Pat Traczykiewicz lf 1 0 0 0; Adam Moore lf 1 0 0 0; Kelly Adams cf 3 0 2 0; Brad Lampson 1b 1 0 0 0; Rick Brebner 1b 3 0 1 0; Greg Welsh p 0 0 0 0; Scott Runzer p 0 0 0 0; Daniel Doyle p 0 0 0 0; Jake Ruch p 0 0 0 0; Andrew Strenge p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 35 1 7 1.
Burlington County: Shaun Flynn ss 3 0 1 0; Matthew Szukics ss 1 0 0 0; John Montemurro cf 2 1 0 0; Marc Mount cf 1 0 0 0; Matt Cann c 3 0 0 0; John Grady c 1 0 0 0; Eric Barbieri 1b 3 0 2 1; Eric Sellitto pr/1b 1 0 0 0; Tyler Powell lf 3 0 1 0; Ryan Lavell lf 1 0 0 0; Ryan Fletcher dh 2 0 0 0; J.Kunz-Mulholland ph/dh 2 0 1 0; Buey Garofalo 3b 1 0 0 0; Troy Foster ph/3b 3 0 0 0; Dakota Havens rf 0 0 0 0; Charles Szymczak ph/rf 3 1 1 0; Mark Zagunis 2b 1 0 0 0; Shane Lynch 2b 1 0 1 0; Kevin Comer p 0 0 0 0; Christian Rachman p 0 0 0 0; Daniel Koneschusky p 0 0 0 0; James Coughlin p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 32 2 7 1.
SOL National-Bicentennial 000 001 000 1-7-6
Burlington County 000 001 10x 2-7-1
E-Burlington 1, SOL-BAL 6. DP-SOL-BAL 2. LOB-SOL-BAL 9, Burlington 9. 2B-Beyer, Ebert, Barbieri, Powell. SAC-Lynch. SB-Orr, Brebner, Lynch.
IP H R ER BB SO
SOL NATIONAL-BICENTENNIAL
Welsh 2 2 0 0 0 1
Runzer 3 2 0 0 1 3
Doyle 2/3 2 1 1 1 0
Ruch (L) 1 1/3 1 1 0 0 0
Strenge 1 0 0 0 0 0
BURLINGTON COUNTY
Comer (W) 3 2 0 0 1 3
Rahman 3 2 1 0 0 2
Koneschusky 1 2/3 2 0 0 0 1
Coughlin 1 1/3 1 0 0 1 0
- Log in to post comments
0
