by Trevor Dugan
Connor Scully gets the save for RVC Tigers Blue, securing their championship victory
FINAL: Tigers 7 – Sharks 4 pic.twitter.com/i72zphDGLY
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) November 3, 2024
This Sunday afternoon Pops Field in Farmingdale played host to the 9u East Coast Fall League Championship between Sharks Baseball Academy and RVC Tigers Baseball Blue.
The righty Benjamin Marcic got the start for the Sharks with the championship on the line, while the Tigers went with RHP Richie Lind.
It took no time at all for the Tigers to take the lead, scoring twice in the top of the first. After three straight walks loaded the bases, Connor Scully drove in the game’s first run with an RBI single.
Another run scored on a bases loaded HBP, making it 2-0 Tigers after the top of the first.
Lind went to work for the Tigers in the bottom of the first and pitched a scoreless frame while striking out two batters. Lind would pitch five innings for the Tigers, striking out 10 and showing off impressive command for his young age.
The Sharks scored their first run on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the second off the bat of Connor Allesar, making it 2-1 Tigers.
Marcic settled in nicely after a shaky first. He seemed to find his rhythm, pitching scoreless second and third innings.
Still 2-1 in the bottom of the third, Lind continued to add to his strikeout total. He struck out the side, registering his seventh strikeout of the game and fourth in a row.
It wasn’t until the fourth inning that either side scored again. Two singles to start the inning allowed Pete Gillen III to add to the Tigers’ lead with an RBI groundout. Gillen’s two RBI were a game high.
Another run scored in the inning on an error, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead. Lind followed that up with a shutdown inning in the bottom of the frame, allowing the Tigers to get right back to batting.
The Sharks brought in Shota Kawano to pitch in the top of the fifth. He pitched a scoreless frame, and would pitch the remainder of the game for the Sharks.
In the bottom of the fifth the Sharks caught a big break that allowed them to draw within just one run. A lead off double and a HBP put two runners on to start the inning. After a groundout, Allesar came to the plate again and hit a dribbler in front of the plate.
The slow roller was fielded by the Tigers’ pitcher and promptly thrown into right field, rolling all the way to the wall allowing three runners to score. The Tigers lead had been cut to 5-4 with one inning left to play.
Unfortunately for the Sharks the Tigers took two of those runs right back in the top of the sixth. One scored on an error, and another came on an RBI single by Gillen, his second RBI of the day.
Holding a 7-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth, the Sharks sent out Scully to try and get the save. He made it look easy, pitching a 1-2-3 inning and delivering the Tigers a win.
The Tigers’ dugout emptied onto the field when the last out was made as players threw their hats and gloves in the air, jumping for joy to celebrate their hard fought championship victory.
