Despite strong winds, the Millburn Millers looked flawless Thursday under the consistent pitching of senior Clay Elder. In a total team effort at the plate the Miller’s bench contributed six runs in the top of the seventh to seal Millburn’s ninth win 13-3 over Chatham.
“At first the wind was a factor,” said Elder. “I had to adjust—it’s a game of adjustments.”
From the first inning it appeared that this would be a tight barn burner as the teams traded three up, three down innings. But Ian Barry started an onslaught of hits for the Millers in the 2nd inning.
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Barry started the inning off with a well hit single. After Milo Freeman was walked Clay Elder hit a two-RBI single to put Millburn up 2-0.
Quickly thereafter Dominic Dasti got fans to their feet with a long double into right field to score Elder. Jeff Fischer added an RBI-double of this own and by the end of the top of 2nd inning the Millers had a 4-0 lead that Chatham would not be able to catch for the entire game.
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“This is a well coached and dangerous Chatham team,” said Milburn head coach Brian Chapman. “We certainly did not feel like we had the game after gaining a lead.”
After giving up four runs and serving four strikeouts Chatham pitcher Brian Ballard was off the mound and the Millers would take a crack at Chatham’s Tom Fox. Fox would be no match for the bats of Millburn and after Dan Frischman delivered two rbi’s the Millers would lead 6-1 heading into the 5th inning.
Chatham would have four different pitchers on the mound, none of which could contain the red hot Millers.
“It’s a balanced lineup,” said coach Chapman. “We don’t rely on any one person—we got contributions from our whole lineup and our bench.”
In the 7th inning the Millburn bench showed just how well balanced the team is.
James Manfredonia, Ian Riddell, David Talpalar, and Felipe Bomfim each contributed hits and when the inning was over had combined for six runs and solidifying the Millburn win 13-3.
“We got six runs from our bench,” said Chapman. “That says a lot about how balanced our lineup is.”
With the win, Millburn improves to 9-2 and extends its winning streak to nine games.
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
Total
Millburn (9-2)
0
4
0
2
1
0
6
13
Chatham (5-4)
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
3
