HAMILTON — Mother Nature has not been very cooperative with the New Jersey District 12 12-Year-Old Little League Baseball Tournament at Sunnybrae this week.
After getting in five games last weekend, the tournament has only been able to get in a game and a half over the last four days because of inclement weather that refuses to leave it alone.
Thursday night, the elimination bracket final got underway and was able to play two-and-a-half innings of 1-1 baseball before a cloud burst forced the umpires to send the players to their respective dugouts before the bottom of the third inning could get underway.
Then, just as that delay was about to expire, an even stronger storm, complete with thunder, lightning and very heavy rain proceeded to pound Sunnybrae’s bottom-of-the-hill fields, forcing the district tournament to be put on hold for the third time in four days this week.
The game plan right now is to try to resume the game at the same site at noon Friday. But officials will have to make a determination in the morning if the field can be made playable by then. Fans are directed to keep an eye on njdistrict12.org for more updates.
Prior to the rain, the now suspended six-inning game was moving crisply and was interesting as both sides found ways to put a run on the board.
Head coach Gary Leonardo’s squad, serving as the visitors on its home field for the second time in three tournament games, got an early jump when Bordentown starting pitcher Jace Hernandez was a little wild in the first inning. Three walks and some balls that got away at the plate gave The Brae a run without the aid of a hit as Marco Girard scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a base on balls.
Southpaw Hernandez found his groove from there, retiring seven of the next eight batters he faced (including three strikeouts). Cam Drudy has Sunnybrae’s lone hit – a single. Girard walked again in the top of the third and advanced on a wild pitch, but became the final out when he was caught trying to steal third base on his second attempt on the same play.
Head coach Dan DeRose’s club has four hits against The Brae’s right-handed starting pitcher Declan Sweeney (two strikeouts).
After loading the bases with no outs in the first inning and being unable to score, B’town evened the score when Dominic Routé led off with a double and scored on Chase Roberts’ one-out single following a missed pop up.
For those who cannot attend Friday because of Fourth of July related conflicts, the game will continue to be video-streamed live by WBCB on wbcbsports.com and on You Tube (WBCB Sports).
Sunnybrae (1-1) 100 xxx — 1 1 1
Bordentown (2-1) 01x xxx — 1 4 0
Game suspended by rain in bottom of third inning
2B: Routé (B); RBIs: Roberts (B).