Par-Troy East 10/11 All-Stars Capture State Title

For the last few years, most of the members of the Par-Troy East 10/11 All Stars had come close, but they weren't able to come home with a state title.

Until now.

On Saturday afternoon, the team overcame a one-run deficit to defeat South Vineland 6-5 and win the New Jersey state Little League baseball title at Edgewater. Par-Troy East 10/11 All-stars went 3-0 in the state tournament, including defeating South Vineland twice in the past week.

Over the last four years, Par-Troy East 10/11 All-stars manager Mike Ruggiero, who has coached the last 15 years, said the group had accumulated a 97-5 record.

Ironically, South Vineland defeated Nottingham on Friday night with the winning run in the sixth inning as they were down to the last strike. But this time, Par-Troy East 10/11 All-stars would not let South Vineland come back in the bottom of the sixth inning to ruin the Par-Troy party.

The team came into Saturday's game with two chances to win the state title in the double-elimination tournament. If Par-Troy East would have lost Saturday to South Vineland, both teams would have played Sunday for the championship.

IN SHORT—Par-Troy East took the lead with a run in the first inning and three more in the top of the third inning.

After third baseman Bener Uygun scored in the first inning, Parsippany put the pressure on South Vineland with a three-spot in the third. The inning was highlighted by another home run from Uygun, this time a two-run shot over the center-field fence that also scored Stephen Scevoli. Uygun smacked a grand slam in Thursday's victory over Nottingham.

Catcher Anthony Scannelli boosted the Par-Troy East lead to 4-0 with a two-out single to center field that scored shortstop Emil Matti.

But Par-Troy East saw South Vineland come back with five unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning as the Parsippany All-stars played uncharacteristically careless defense as all the runs were unearned.

Daniel Ruggiero came in relief for Sarang Amin and put a hold on the South Vineland rally.

Par-Troy East took advantage of some errors from South Vineland in the top of the fifth inning after Ruggiero and Matti got on base via a walk and an infield hit, respectively.

On a ground out by Scannelli, Matt got caught in a rundown between second and third in an attempt to get Daniel Ruggiero home from third. After Ruggiero scored, Matti was able to get to third and score after a couple of South Vineland errors to give Par-Troy East 10/11 All-stars the 6-5 lead.

In the final two at-bats by South Vineland, Ruggiero only allowed one runner on base to shut down the opponent's bats.

PAR-TROY EAST PLAYER OF THE GAME—Emil Matti, 1-for-2, two runs scored including game-winning run, one RBI - Matti might not have put up a lot of numbers in the score book, but he forced a run down in the top of the fifth inning that helped Daniel Ruggiero to score from third to tie the game at five. He then beat the rundown by getting back to third before the throw and scored on an error to third for what would turn out to be the winning run.

OTHER KEY PERFORMANCES

• Bener Uygun, 2-for-3, double, home run, two runs scored, two RBI.
• Daniel Ruggiero, winning pitcher, 3 2/3 innings pitch, two hits allowed and one strikeout. Hitting, 1-for-2, one run scored.
• Anthony Scannelli, 1-for-2, RBI
• Stephen Scevoli, two walks, one run scored
• Sarang Amin, 2 1/3 innings pitched, three hits allowed, two hit by pitch, one walk and five unearned runs.

THEY SAID IT

"We never quit. It is never an option. I know we'll always have our inning... Our team worked hard for four years to get here."—Manager Mike Ruggiero

"I was just trying (in the rundown) to get the runner (Dan Ruggiero in top of fifth inning) to score. I thought he would get me (at third base). When the ball got past him (third baseman), my coach told me to go home."—Shortstop Emil Matti

"I was a little nervous when I walked the batter (bottom of the sixth inning), but I knew that my teammates would field the ball."—Pitcher Daniel Ruggiero