VERONA - Millburn came from behind on Saturday and stunned top-seeded West Essex in the Greater Newark Tournament semi-finals on Saturday at Verona High School.
Millburn scored three runs in the fifth inning and pitching combination of David Talpalar and Ian Riddell held off the Knights en route to a 3-2 victory and a trip to Bears Stadium in Newark next Saturday.
The fourth-seeded Millers (21-4) will have a rematch this year with third-seeded Seton Hall Prep, a 5-2 victor over Nutley in the other semi-final game, on Saturday at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium in Newark at 6 p.m.
The last time that Millburn was in the GNT final was in 2008 when they lost to the same Seton Hall Prep team.
At that time the current seniors like Clayton Elder were just freshmen. "We knew that if we work hard that we would be there," said Elder.
In 2011 Millburn had defeated the Pirates just recently last Monday, 7-2, in West Orange. But on Saturday the result will have more meaning in the county title game.
Against West Essex it was even more amazing for the Millers after they withstood a well-pitched game from West Essex's Dave Jesch who allowed only two Millburn hits and struck out 10.
But Millburn took advantage of some West Essex mistakes and a key hit or two to score the three runs in the fifth inning.
The Millers were down 1-0 until they got all of their offense to support Talpalar on the mound in the fifth inning.
Millburn's offense took advantage of a touch of wildness finally from Jesch who kept the Millers hitless in the first four innings.
Third baseman Anthony Del Greco started the rally by being hit by a pitch. With some nifty running by pinch runner Ryan Rounick who had a pair of stolen bases, he would score with a wild pitch by Jesch to tie the game at one.
After Talpalar struck out to make it two outs, Riddell got on first base on an error.
And then, Elder smacked a triple that scored pinch runner Michael Brown to give the Millers their first lead, 2-1. "It was a fastball just about above the knee and it was a good pitch to hit," said Elder. "I just wanted to jump on the fastball and make up for the strikeout that I had in my first at bat."
And then senior second baseman Jeff Fischer would crack a base hit that scored Elder from third and give the Millers a 3-1 lead. "I was just trying to keep an even keel," said Fischer after the game.
In Talpalar he gave a lot of credit to the rest of the team in grabbing the victory in the semi-final match.
"It was just an honor to get a start today," said Talpalar who missed some time because of an injured shoulder. "They guys have always come through when I'm not playing well. “If I can throw strikes then the guys behind me will make the plays."
After the fifth inning Millburn would only got two more runners on base, but that was okay while Talpalar and Ian Riddell, who came in for relief, allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Ralph Velardi brought home Jake Handler with a base hit.
But with runners at first and third, Riddell got Chris Carragher to fly out to centerfield and the Millers bench streamed out to the field.
