Millburn advances to Clark Tournament semi-finals

The Millburn 8 & under travel team began the week with a home game against Scotch Plains-Fanwood (SPF) at Gero Park. Having beaten SPF earlier this summer, Millburn was optimistic, but SPF was a tough out, particularly at the end of the game. In the sixth inning, SPF scored two to tie it up and send it to extra innings. SPF blanked Millburn in their half of the inning and took the lead for good with two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to win it.

Millburn's youngsters were back in action though with a match against Livingston as part of the Clark Little League Tournament. The game began with some amazing defensive plays for the Millburn 8 year olds. The first and second Livingston batters were both walked. Then Millburn catcher, Nicholas Treue, gunned down an attempted steal at third. 1 out. Then a third walk was granted, only to be erased by pitcher Noah Shidlovsky on a quick pick-off at first base. 2 outs. Then a fourth walk was granted, but once again Treue gunned down an attempted theft at third. The inning ended with four walks, no hits, no runs and no one advancing past second base! The first three innings progressed with no runs by either side, but then the Millburn batters took control with five runs in the fourth. Coming into the bottom of the fifth, with Millburn up 5-1, Millburn scored six runs which were capped off by a monster Home Run blast from Jack Lawler.

Next up in the tournament were the hosts, Clark. This one turned out to be a slugfest. In the top of the first, Millburn scored five with two of the runs on the back of a single to left by Gavin Talles and a bases loaded double by Nicholas Treue. However, Clark matched that with five of their own runs in the bottom of the first. In the top of the second, Koji Fujita lead off with a walk and promptly stole second and third bases. Next up was Logan Saperstein who had a short hit that was good for a single, but kept Fujita at third. Oliver LaLonde then walked to load the bases. Clark's pitcher then struck out the next Millburn batter. In need of a spark, Coach Butter inserted 7-year old super-sub, Aiden Treue, into the line-up. Aiden Treue turned the first pitch around with a drive to center to score Fujita. Millburn was unable to score again, but had the lead 6-5. Clark came back in the bottom of the second inning with three of their own runs on a long double by C.J. Todd to take an 8-6 lead. Millburn responded in the top of the third with three runs as Gavin Talles ripped another pitch to left for a single and Nicholas Treue knocked him in again with a double to center. Heading into the fourth inning, Millburn 9 - Clark 8, but Millburn was ready to score more. Saperstein walked and the power-hitting Lawler hit a long double deep to right to score Saperstein. Super-sub Aiden Treue stepped up and ripped a grounder to left scoring Lawler. Treue, one of the fastest players on the team despite his youth, promptly stole second and third, but was stranded there as the Clark pitchers induced two fly-outs. Clark scored three in their end of the fourth to tie it up at 11-11, but Millburn scored five more in the final inning to win 16-11.

With these victories in round-robin play, Millburn advances to the semi-finals of the Clark Tournament to be held Monday evening under the lights.