The 13u Connecticut Cubs defeated the LI Strong in a best-of-three series to capture the inaugural Kings Point Classic hosted by the United States Merchant Marine Academy. The Cubs played outstanding baseball in all facets of the game and won by the scores of 12-1 and 16-3.
The Cubs are in their first year as an organization – but they are off to quite a strong start. Their first tournament was Memorial Day Weekend at the Field of Dreams in Iowa. Playing in a 34-team field, they compiled a record of 7-0 and captured first place. They followed that up with two more convincing wins to bring their overall record to an unblemished 9-0 on the season.
The team is composed of 13 players – 8 of which all attend the same school and have been playing together for several years. They competed in Cal Ripken Baseball during their age 10-12 seasons and won the state championship two of those seasons. At the end of the 2021 calendar year, they hosted tryouts looking to fill their roster and they were able to do so with five more players.
The results have been outstanding so far. Head Coach Johnny Montanez is also the head varsity coach at The Brunswick School. During his time there, he has compiled a winning percentage of over .700 for the Bruins.
In terms of the results this weekend, they had contributions from up-and-down the roster.
In Game 1, Connor Brice notched two hits, scored two runs and drove in a run. Conlan Bailey added two hits of his own, drove in three runs and scored a run. Walker McClure went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Owen Bartoszek added a hit, run and RBI.
In Game 2, Bartoszek was a menace on the bases, scoring three times and stealing two bases. Jayden Montanez went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. It was McClure who did most of the damage, going 3-for-3 with 5 RBIs and two runs scored. Bailey scored three runs and drove in two, Brice scored twice and added an RBI as they put up a 16-spot.
Both the Connecticut Cubs and the USMMA are hopeful that this event could continue to take place each season and continue to grow.
“What a great opportunity it was for these players to be on a college field and play under the lights. Hearing their names called out is an experience I’m sure they won’t forget,” said USMMA pitching coach Lou Bernardi.
