Boys 8U Baseball Team Rallies, But Falls to Edison in State Game

The 8U Bridgewater Americans boys baseball team ended its successful 2011 tournament season Tuesday, finishing third in the state after an emotional loss to Edison in the 8U Northern New Jersey Cal Ripken State Tournament, held in Edison.

Bridgewater took charge early, led by strong pitching from Tanner Bothur and a second inning "inside the park" home-run from third baseman, Michael Pastor, with one runner on base.  That led to a subsequent walk, then a hit from Matthew Smoke, which drove in another run. 

Bridgewater pitcher, Vijay Arora, held the 3-0 lead in the third inning, but Edison managed to battle back to tie the game in the fourth inning, with strong hitting and aggressive base running.

Bridgewater rallied in the fourth and fifth innings, but was unable to score, despite having multiple runners in scoring position.

Pitchers Jake Hendershot and Matthew Smoke pitched a strong fifth inning, however Edison managed to capitalize on a few walks, ultimately driving in five runs.  Unable to bounce back and rally after a tough fifth inning, Bridgewater lost 8-3 in six innings, ending a successful season with a record of 18 wins, nine losses and one tie.

During the season, the 2011 8U Americans reached the semifinals in every tournament the team competed in, in addition to being a finalist in the Somerset and Hunterdon County Tournament, ultimately earning the right to compete in the Cal Ripken State Tournament, a first for any 8U Bridgewater team.

—Moneesh Arora, manager of the team