by Chris Prystupa
Jack Chopin was one of the main driving forces in the Ducks big bounce back in the second game of their double header today. He spoke with us on his emotions as he rounded third to score on his grand slam and how his team turned it around after a game one loss. pic.twitter.com/qU2gLPmMYL
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 30, 2022
The 14U Junior Ducks and 14U Dodger Nation squared off this afternoon in some Boys of Summer league action. In the first game of the double header, Dodger Nation got it started in the second inning thanks to Joseph Colleluori, who sprinted around the bases for an inside the park homerun just a few minutes after he made an inning ending diving catch in center field. The Dodgers capitalized on an error by the shortstop later in the inning to give themselves a 2-0 lead.
The Junior Ducks responded right away in the bottom half as they managed to get a couple of guys on with back-to-back singles. Tommy Jannelli would loft a flyby deep enough for a run to come in and Caden Valinotti backed that up with an RBI single to tie the game up at two runs each.
The scoring would not stop there, in the top of the third Matt Pilgrim launched a towering fly ball just out of the reach of the centerfielder to put his team back in the lead by two runs. Dodger’s starter Justin Hills would do a great job of shutting the Ducks down after they scored as he tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the third.
After back-to-back singles to start of the fourth inning, Ikey Cohen laced a ball into the gap and legged out a two-run triple padding the Dodgers lead. The Dodgers continued to hit well throughout the rest of the game adding a few RBI singles from Justin Hills, Joseph Ambrosio, and Matt Verbouwens. Those singles paired with a wild pitch and passed ball gave way to a commanding 12-2 lead for the Dodgers heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Ducks would get two runs back on an error by the shortstop but it would ultimately not be enough as the Dodgers would win game one 12-4.
In game two it had seemed as though the Junior Ducks flipped the switch as their offense got it started right away in the top of the first. After a single and a walk, Royale Baker snuck a ground ball just fair in between the third baseman and the third base bag for an RBI single. Will Horowitz followed that up with a deep sacrifice fly of his own to continue the Ducks hot start. A runner would be picked off of first base but allow the runner on third to score in the rundown, capping off a solid three run first for the Ducks.
The Ducks would continue their hot start in the second as they would go on to put up another three runs. After a leadoff single by Owen Killeen and a walk by Tommy Janelli, Will Lubitz would smack a ball deep for a triple, scoring both of his teammates. Caden Valinotti would bounce into a fielder’s choice and the Ducks would be up 6-0 early.
In the third consecutive inning the Ducks would score again, Ducks starter Jacob Permakoff helped himself out on the mound by mashing a triple into the right centerfield gap making it 7-0. The Dodgers wouldn’t be kept quiet for long as they got the bats going in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Justin Hills would bloop a ball into no man’s land allowing two runs to score getting the Dodgers on the board. Brady Henderson and Charlie Nella would follow that up with back-to-back RBI singles to make it 7-4 and suddenly the Dodgers were creeping back into this game.
FINAL (in 5): Ducks: 12 Dodgers: 7 (Time Limit) pic.twitter.com/HSsTgtKZHQ
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 30, 2022
Jack Chopin started off the fourth inning with quite the bang as he scorched a ball into the gap and raced around the bases for an inside the park grand slam. His grand slam would make it 11-4 undoing all of the hard work the Dodgers had put together just an inning prior. The Dodgers got right back to work in the bottom of the fourth, starting it off with a single and double by Pilgrim and Colleuori to set the table. Matt Monzillo cashed in by dunking a ball into center field allowing a run to come home. Ikey Cohen continued his solid day at the plate following Monzillo up with another RBI single to make it 11-6. Owen Killeen would get out of the inning by picking off a Dodger base runner but a run would score while the run down occurred.
The Ducks would add on another insurance run on a failed back pick by the catcher giving them a grand total of twelve runs in game two. Heading into the bottom of the fifth up 12-7, the Ducks would close this game out and salvage the back end of this double header. The Junior Ducks improve their record to 13-7 and Dodger Nation improves to 11-6 as the Boys of Summer season is nearing the end.
