WOOD-RIDGE — Sometimes all it takes is a new day.

The Allentown American Legion baseball got that fresh start Saturday in the New Jersey American Legion Final Four at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex.

After dropping its opener to defending state champion Brooklawn Post 72 Red Friday, A’town returned north and came up with an impressive, 5-3 win over Pyramid League champion Whitehouse Post 284.

Manager Sahil Thakur’s 19-6 team returns to the WRAC Sunday for the second game of the day once again. This time, it awaits the loser between Cherry Hill Post 372 and Brooklawn Red (both of the Camden County League).

Manager Steve Farsiou’s 27-5 Post 284 squad dropped a tough, 4-3 decision in nine innings to Cherry Hill to start the day after their opener was pushed back following thunderstorms Friday afternoon. Whitehouse then had to turn around and play Allentown a half hour later Saturday.

The locals took advantage by jumping to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with five hits, including run-scoring singles from Nolan Arnold and Michael Vaccarino, plus a sacrifice fly from Ryder Simpson.

Post 284 got two runs back with an RBI double from Dominic Parenti and a sacrifice fly from Andrew Parisi in the top of the third when A’town starting pitcher Dan Nafziger tweaked his back and had to end a day on the mound that saw him strike out five in three innings.

The visitors then tied the game with an unearned run in the fourth when 18-year-old Southern Regional High grad Tyler McLeod took over on the bump.

“I knew if Coach called on me, I’d be ready today,” said McLeod, who pitched a third of an inning Friday. “But I wasn’t feeling well at first. It felt like my body was a little slow. I didn’t really change anything from the day before. I just attacked the zone better. I figured as long as I don’t walk guys, I’d help the team.”

While McLeod did give up three hits over his final four innings (compared to one hit allowed by Nafziger in his three innings), he came out stronger over the final three innings with the help of a nifty double play by first baseman Nick Garbooshian, who dived in foul ground to grab a line drive off the bat of Parisi, then turned to tag first base to double up Jayson Labrador, who had walked to lead off the fourth.

From there, McLeod stranded two runners on base, including Jack Portman at third base in the seventh after a one-out double.

“They were a very good team, and they can definitely hit,” said the Felician University-bound right-hander who started the seventh in fine fashion by striking out Whitehouse leadoff hitter Parenti after a tough battle. “That was big – 100 percent! He was on everything I threw him. He’s a very disciplined hitter.”

McLeod was also boosted by his team’s production behind him at the best possible time. After stranding two runners on base in the third and fourth innings, Allentown saw Post 284 starting pitcher Chris Kozak reach his pitch limit at the end of retiring at the end of retiring seven in a row.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Cole Jacobus took over and saw the top of the home team’s lineup load the bases on walks to Julian Caruso and Simpson around a single by Garbooshian. Anthony DeNora then took the ball, but saw Brady Wendell single to right field to plate the go-ahead run before Arnold hit a sacrifice fly for an insurance tally.

“I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve hit the ball right at guys this summer, so it was nice to finally find a hole, especially after fouling one off my foot,” said Wendell, an 18-year-old third baseman from Jackson Memorial High who is headed to Massachusetts’ Nichols College in the fall.

Despite limping noticeably after taking the hard shot off his foot, Wendell spun things back in A’town’s favor with his second hit of the day. He, Garbooshian and Whitehouse’s Aidan Walsh were the only players with multiple hits in the game.

“We came out with a lot more energy today,” Wendell said. “We played more sound defense, and our pitchers had less walks.”

If that’s the kind of fresh start a new day brings, then the Allentown American Legion players hope that recipe keeps working.

Whitehouse(27-5)                002    100    0    —    3  4  1

Allentown (19-6)                  300    002    x    —    5  8  1

2B: Parenti, Walsh, Portman (W); RBIs: Parenti, Parisi (W), Simpson, Wendell, Arnold 2, Vaccarino (A).

WP — McLeod (3-0); LP — Jacobus.

Originally Published: July 26, 2025 at 9:10 PM EDT