The Trusted Home of Amateur Baseball on Long Island – From Travel through College

search icon
advertise with us

News

Next Level Sandlot Cruises to a Win at the Northeast Elite Tournament

by Trevor Dugan

After playing to a tie in their first game of the day, Next Level Sandlot coasted their way to an 8-1 victory over MVP 17/18u Black. 

LHP Kevin Hart of Kellenberg High School started on the mound for MVP, and had a rough go of it in the top of the first inning. Next Level was able to put up six runs to start the game after a barrage of hits from their loaded lineup. Towson-commit Jaden Alvarez reached on an error to lead off the game, then came around to score on yet another error for the game’s first run. Next, St. John’s commit-Jayden Gigante came through with an RBI double to stretch the lead to 2-0. 

The next run scored when Adelphi-commit Richie LaVacca laced an RBI single into the outfield for Next Level’s third run of the inning. A sacrifice fly by St. John Fisher-commit Jack Murphy made it 4-0, then Vincent Bourne of Long Island Lutheran High School capped the inning off with a two-run single to push the Next Level lead up to 6-0. 

Matthew Muzikant from Long Island Lutheran High School took the mound for Next Level in the bottom of the first and was locked in from his very first pitch, retiring the side in order. The second out of the inning was a ground out to second, on which Jaden Alvarez made a spectacular diving stop before popping to his feet and making a perfect throw to record the out. 

Hart bounced back in a big way for MVP in the top of the second. After surrendering six first inning runs, he sat down Next Level’s two through four batters in order, sending the MVP bats right back to work. 

Muzikant stayed right on track in the bottom of the second pitching a very quick three up, three down frame for Next Level. His fastball looked lively in this game, consistently reaching into the high 80s, and his slider was generating plenty of swings and misses. 

Next Level would add to their already sizable lead in the top of the third inning. After two straight outs to begin the inning, Richie LaVacca reached on an error, advancing to second after a bad throw to first. He was driven in by Bloomsburg-commit Jack Regan on an RBI double, pushing Next Level’s lead to 7-0. 

LaVacca and Regan were named co-MVPs of the Axcess Baseball World Series earlier this month, and are continuing their impressive play this fall season. LaVacca finished this game 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Regan finished 1-3 with two RBI and a run scored

Muzikant came through with a shutdown inning in the bottom of the third. He forced the first batter to pop out, then worked around an infield single with a strikeout and ground out to end the inning and keep MVP scoreless. 

To MVP SP Kevin Hart’s credit, he settled down following a tough first inning and pitched all seven innings for MVP. In the top of the fourth, he allowed a leadoff single, then forced two groundouts before walking a batter to bring the power hitting Adelphi-commit Jaden Valdez to the plate with runners on the corners. After a lengthy at-bat, Hart forced Valdez to pop out to shortstop and strand the Next Level runners on base, keeping the score at 7-0. 

Each of Muzikant’s first three innings pitched felt like they were over as quickly as they began, and the bottom of the fourth was no different. Following a leadoff walk, Muzikant sat down three straight MVP batters to end the inning. Through four innings Muzikant had allowed just one hit and struck out five batters. 

Next Level was able to push MVP to the brink in the top of the fifth, scoring their eighth run of the game on a throwing error. With the run rule stating that the game will end if a team trails by eight or more after five innings, MVP needed at least one run to stay alive and keep the game going.

MVP was able to get the run they needed in the bottom of the fifth to stave off the run rule ending. After a groundout to start the inning, Muzikant surrendered his third walk of the game, then inexplicably hit three straight batters. The third HBP of the inning forced in a run to ensure MVP would play at least one more inning. Seemingly annoyed after this sudden loss of control, Muzikant appeared to reach back and put a little extra velocity on his fastball in the next two at-bats. He struck out the next two batters to leave the bases loaded, but MVP had gotten the run they needed to extend the game. 

Kevin Hart seemed to have figured out the Next Level lineup over the final two innings. He pitched scoreless frames in both the sixth and seventh frames, finishing off a gritty start in which he threw over 100 pitches and allowed just two runs following a disastrous six-run first inning. 

Jack Murphy would enter in relief for Next Level in the bottom of the sixth, and the southpaw looked sharp right out of the gate. He did not allow any baserunners over his two innings of work, and struck out two of the first three batters he faced. He would come back out in the bottom of the seventh to slam the door for Next level. Murphy struck out the side to finish his two inning relief outing with five strikeouts and secure an 8-1 victory for Next Level Sandlot. 

Matthew Muzikant spoke to Axcess about his seven strikeout performance that led his team to victory on Saturday afternoon.

“All my pitches were working, the fastball was there, my slider I could throw for a strike whenever I wanted,” Muzikant explained. “Working up my pitch count for the fall felt good, and I felt like I was able to stay in attack mode the whole game.” 

Muzikant also commented on his team’s prospects during the Northeast Elite Tournament. 

“I feel like we’re the most talented team here, if we play our best brand of baseball nobody can beat us,” Musikant told Axcess. “We have great depth everywhere, athletic players that can move fast, I like our chances.”