Brendan Magill ripped a 2-R triple in the first inning and also contributed on the mound. He discusses the victory @EcybTournaments pic.twitter.com/EgDevUirC3
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) September 1, 2019
It would be an understatement to say that 8U Team Beast Black has been having a successful year. The young squad entered the day 47-5-3 on the summer and they entered East Coast Labor Day Tournament as a red-hot team.
They continued their red-hot play with a 6-5 walk-off victory on a walk drawn by Jake D’Andrea this afternoon at Plainedge Park. It was an entertaining game of baseball.
The game was delayed 15 minutes by a late arrival of the umpire who was greeted to a round of applause by the Sharks Academy team in an innocent gesture that drew laughter from the parents. Their game faces were on after that as the teams took the field.
After a scoreless top of the first, Team Beast got out to an early lead in the home half of the first thanks to a two-run triple by Brendan Magill who drove in Grant Manuel and Armando Muniz. They added a third run when Gavin Sandoval drove him in with an RBI ground out.
Undeterred, the Sharks went to work attempting to battle back.
They were able to do that beginning in the top of the third when Grayson McCauley drew a walk and Nick Merolla singled and an error allowed two runs to score and make it 3-2. They tied it up when Joe Connolly reached on a fielder’s choice that score Merolla.
The game was far from over.
In the top of the fourth, the Sharks took the lead on an RBI triple by Jackson Aronow to score Aaron Cumming.
The lead did not last long as Beast tied it on an error by the right fielder that scored Sandoval. The following batter, Michael, gave Beast a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Sharks, trailing 5-4, were able to tie it up once again on an RBI ground out by Merolla to score McCauley who led off with a walk and stole two bases.
In the top of the sixth, the Sharks loaded the bases with nobody out, but two strikeouts and a fly out to right ended the jam.
Team Beast was not about to waste their scoring opportunity, though. A single by Armando followed by a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with nobody out. They nearly didn’t capitalize on their chance after two straight force outs at the plate but a walk to D’Andrea brought in the winning run.
