by Gabe Zoda
FINAL: LI Thunder-Judge win this one by the score of 4-1 over Dodger Nation-LaMarca. pic.twitter.com/8xVz06Fawt
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 24, 2021
There’s nothing better than summer ball, that is true with all ages and the same can be said with this 12u matchup at the Summer Showdown. This matchup was between the LI Thunder-Judge and Dodgers Nation-LaMarca.
This game featured some good technical baseball and a lot of fun had by both teams which is the most important part at the end of the day for these guys. At the end of the game the LI Thunder-Judge would take home the victory with a score of 4-1 and good pitching and good defense allowed them to do just that.
The offense for the Thunder would start in the 2nd inning as they would get 2 runs and one name would be responsible for both of them.
The SP for the Thunder though was Matthew Judge and he would kick things off for them in the 2nd inning with a single through the middle. Judge would then steal 2nd to get himself in scoring position with 2 outs.
That would bring up Ben Bonadio who would come in big with a 2B with 2 outs that scored Judge easily to bring in the Thunder’s first run.
Their 2nd run would come from some more smart baserunning. This run would score from Bonadio, who stole 3rd after his 2B. Bonadio read a ball in the dirt and used his speed to come in on a pass ball to give the LI Thunder a 2-0 lead.
Dodgers Nation didn’t have to wait long for a response though as they would score one right back in the bottom of the inning.
They would score this run in a big way with an inside the park HR. They responded quick too as the first batter of the inning, Aidan Klocek, would smash one to left center and it would go passed the outfielders and roll to the fence.
Klocek would use his speed to run all around the bases and come home to get the first run for Dodgers Nation. After he scored he slapped home plate as he was so happy to do that for his team.
Unfortunately for Dodgers Nation, that would be their only run of the ballgame but the LI Thunder were not at all done scoring. In fact, they would score 1 more in the top of the 3rd.
They would start this inning off with back to back walks from Tino Masmiselo and Anthony Tarsitano. Both of those runners would then steal and get themselves into scoring position.
The next batter, Mark Villeck, would lift one into the air to and after an E-7 a run would score and make it a 3-1 game.
Ben Bonadio drove in another run in the top of the 4th with a single. In the 4th, he drove in Anthony Dilvzio-Peterson. “DP” as his teammates and the parents call him reached by working a quality walk and then got himself into scoring position with a steal.
That run in the 4th would make it a 4-1 ballgame and they would end things there after 6 innings. For the LI Thunder, Matthew Judge and Fernando Alverez did a very good job on the mound as they combined for 6IP, 8Ks and 2BBs and 1 run allowed.
Both of these teams did have very good defense but at the end of the day, it was the bats of the LI Thunder that would get them the victory.
