Bloomfield Bombers 13U Team Go 1-2 in USABL Labor Day Weekend Baseball Tournament

The Bloomfield Bombers went 1-2, winning their first game but then dropping a doubleheader in a Labor Day weekend tournament run by the United States Amateur Baseball League in North Brunswick.

Bloomfield opened the tournament at North Brunswick Community Park with a 6-1 victory against the Frozen Ropes Bombers, a travel team based in Pine Brook. Starting and winning pitcher Ed Abplanalp threw five strong innings and did not allow a run until the fifth. Manny Corporan relieved Abplanalp and got the final six outs to nail down the win.

Offensively, Bloomfield scored four runs in the third inning. Liam Bejasa led off the inning with a hustle double to right center, capping the hit with a brilliant head-first slide into second base. Elliot Urgent followed with a single between the first and second basemen. Abplanalp then scorched a double down the third base line to drive in Bejasa and Urgent.

Later in the inning, Craig Dittrich doubled to left center to score a run. That was followed by an RBI single to right by Kyle Tice. Dylan Piacenza, with a groundout, and Robert Reboa, with a single, drove in the other two Bombers runs. Brandon Kelly also had a hit in the game.

In their second game, Bloomfield lost, 8-6, to the eventual tournament winners, the Southeast Pennsylvania Knights from Bucks County, Pa.

Piacenza started and pitched 5.1 innings, keeping the Bombers within 3-2 until the sixth. The Knights pulled away in that inning, aided by Bloomfield throwing errors. Jamir Ramos pitched in relief and recorded the game’s last five outs, three by strikeout.

Bloomfield rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning, but could not completely close the gap. The highlight of the inning was a two-run single to right field by Ramos. Jordan DiFabritis and Abplanalp also contributed hits in the game.

In their third and final game of the tournament, Bloomfield lost, 4-3, to the North Brunswick Raiders. Bloomfield quickly jumped ahead and led, 3-0, after two innings. Abplanalp stroked two hits while Dittrich, J.J. Mendoza and Urgent also had hits. Abplanalp, Dittrich and Tice each drove in a run for Bloomfield.

Corporan started on the mound for the Bombers and pitched effectively, allowing only one run through five innings. Corporan exited in the sixth inning after two batters reached on an error and a walk.

Urgent relived but the Raiders scored two runs on an infield single and a deep fly out. Bloomfield could have kept the score tied at three, but missed a critical chance to get out of the inning. The Bombers failed to record an out on a potential double play grounder and the Raiders scored what proved to be the winning run on a bases loaded walk. Urgent escaped additional damage by inducing a pair of pop outs.

In the top of the seventh inning, Tice hit a hard line drive toward left but was robbed on an outstanding leaping grab. Piacenza followed with a single to right but the Bombers offense could not gain any additional ground.