Frederick Hustlers (13U)

This year’s new edition of Frederick Hustler Baseball – the 10Us – took their game for the first time this past week to Aberdeen, MD for a RIPKEN experience - the 2014 “In The Zone” 10U Baseball Championship. The boys in black and gold were up for the task as they played all phases of the game well. The result was their second Championship of the season but perhaps as important, baseball fans all around are starting to gain an appreciation for the incredible defense that this team plays for 10 year olds. The Hustlers drew a tough first round opponent in the Backyard University Gamers and hung on for an 11-8 win. Justin Ropp, Joseph Pippin and JT Sachar handled the pitching duties and all pitched well. The Hustlers put five on the board in the first inning when Sachar walked and was followed up by singles from Evans, Ropp and Pippin and a double from Cunningham. All in all, Mikhai Evans led the way at the plate with two hits. Sachar was on base three times with a double and two walks and scored three runs, and Matt Cunningham doubled, walked and drove in another run with a sacrifice fly. Ropp, Pippin and Ryan Bennett each contributed hits.

Game two was against a solid Oxford Outlaw squad but the Hustlers smelled the swimming pool and played inspired baseball coming away with a 13-1 win. Playing on Cal, Sr field, the Hustlers rode the arms of Brandon Buschman and Matt Cunningham and continued playing solid defense. Sachar, Evans, Cunningham, Dustin Isanogle and Andrew McElwain each had two hits; one of McElwain’s was a home run and Evans tripled. Ropp and Hayden Bailey each had one hit.

Friday morning’s first game was also on Cal, Sr. field and the Ambler A’s had to feel like they ran into a buzzsaw. Before the first inning was over, the Hustlers sent 19 hitters to the plate, had eleven hits and had scored 15 runs. Evans had four hits with two home runs, Cunningham had three hits with a home run and a double, Isanogle was 4-4 with a double, and JT Sachar and Ryan Bennett each had two hits. Ropp, Zach Rutter (triple), Hayden Bailey and Andrew McElwain each had a hit.

Matt Cunningham

The semifinal contest on Friday afternoon brought in the Titans from South Jersey and they had saved a big, hard right-handed throwing pitcher for the Hustlers. The Hustlers held a slim 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third when Justin Ropp lead off with a walk. Cunningham, McElwain, Pippin and Isanogle then put together four straight hits. After a strikeout, Hayden Bailey delivered the big dagger – a 2-run single to left and before things were said and done, the Hustlers held a 8-0 lead and the South Jersey fans were shocked. Justin Ropp was his magnificent self on the mound holding a good hitting team to one run on three hits; he struck out four in five innings of work. Cunningham had two hits with a double, McElwain was 3-3, Pippin was 2-3, Isanogle was 3-3, and Ropp and Bailey each had one.

The Championship game was somewhat of a surprise. The Backyard University Gamers who the Hustlers had narrowly beaten in game one upset the tournament’s top seed (Brandywine Jays) in their semi-final game 6-4. It was clear that the Gamers had expended a lot of energy in their semifinal game. Regardless, the Gamers took a 2-1 lead in the top of third. That’s when the Hustlers answered and answered big scoring five times. Ropp walked, Cunningham doubled, McElwain singled and Isanogle reached on an error before Bailey and Evans sandwiched a Sachar walk with two run scoring doubles. Pippin and Cunningham were both sharp on the mound, and Sachar, Evans, Cunningham, McElwain, Pippin, Isanogle and Bailey each had a hit. The final score was 10-2.

Matt Cunningham was named MVP of the tournament for his hitting, pitching and defense. Leading hitters for the Hustlers during the tournament were: Isanogle (10-14, .714), McElwain (7-10, .700), Bailey (4-6, .667), Cunningham (9-14, .643), Evans (9-15, .600), Sachar (6-17, .353), and Ropp and Pippin (4-12, .333).