By Gabe Zoda
Spoke with Starting Pitcher Van Johnson after his Complete Game performance on the mound. pic.twitter.com/uwaPllqXkY
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 3, 2023
Baseball and the 4th of July always come hand and hand, whether it’s going to a game or playing in one, you are always guaranteed to see some very good baseball. Same can be said in the 14u ECYB championship game between the Five Star Mafia and the Fairfield County Captains coming from Connecticut. The Five Star Mafia were really able to bring the fireworks on both sides to solidify a 5-1 victory.
The Five Star Mafia wasted no time getting on the Scoreboard as they would tack on one in the bottom of the first inning. Mike Buonagura started things off with a one out single. He would then steal second to put himself in scoring position for Braden Franco. Franco would then flare one perfectly to the opposite field in right and score Buonagura for the games first one.
Five Star would continue their scoring ways in the bottom of the third after a pair of doubles from none other than Buonagura and Franco once again to make it a 2-0 ballgame after 3 innings.
During this entire time, the Five Star Mafia Starting Pitcher Van Johnson was throwing an absolute jem. He would go on to pitch a complete game in this one only allowing one run in the 6th inning. He focused mainly on his control and allowing his fielders to make plays behind him. He talked about having a real trust with his defenders and it showed by the way that they made plays for him all game long.
In that sixth inning though, the Captains would score their one and only run. They did it by loading up the bases one back to back singles by Cole Johnson and Conner Richmond. Conner Kraft would then walk to load up the bases with one out in the inning. Jordan Kennedy would then dribble on to third base just slow enough to allow the run to come in from third and for him to be safe at first to make the score 2-1.
B6: Josh Terry Rips one down the line to score 2 and give Five Star a 4-1 lead
Five Star Mafia would score 1 more in the inning as we head into the top of the 7th with the Mafia up 5-1 pic.twitter.com/fTM4f8FKl4
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 3, 2023
The Five Star Mafia were determined to not allow the Captains to take this game as they would add on 3 more runs of insurance in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 5-1 game. The inning would start off with a single from Dom Paulicko with one out. He would then steal second base. Robbie Mascia would also get on base to make it a runners on first and second with 2 outs for Josh Terry. Terry then launched a double down the left field line to score both Paulicko and Mascia to make it a 4-1 ballgame. The next batter, Tyler Grabolewski, then batted in Terry with a single to make it 5-1.
Van Johnson came back out to pitch in the seventh and retired the Captains in 1-2-3 order to solidify and earn them the ECYB 14u Stars n Stripes Championship.
Johnsons final line was: 7IP (CG), 1K, 1BB, 7H, 1R
