Blue Chip Invitational

When two fundamentally sound teams match up in the championship game of a tournament, it is certain to be determined by one or two mental mistakes. That was the case between Next Level Baseball and the Taconic Rangers on Wednesday’s 16U Championship game of the Blue Chip Invitational. In a scoreless game in the top of the fourth, speedster Nick Ungania ripped one into the left center field gap for a clean hit. The two outfielders, however, took inefficient routes and the ball scooted between them and towards the fence. Ungania turned on the afterburners and came all the way around to score on an inside-the-park HR. Leading up to this point, the game was going just about as crisp as a 16U game will go. Both starting pitchers were effective – Robbie Gilchrist for Taconic and JJ G...