Summit U14 Loses to Branchburg

SUMMIT—The Summit 14U baseball team fell into the hole early, and had a tough game ahead of them.  Summit lost the game in the end, but bounced back in the bottom of the second inning.  They improved their offense and stepped up their defense notably to end the game on a high note.

"I like that we battled," said head coach Leroy Horn. "We were down early in the game and our kids got back two runs and rallied behind each other."

The first inning started things off on the wrong foot.  Summit allowed Branchburg to score six runs.  Branchburg had loaded the bases but Summit stranded the runners to end the inning down 6-0.  The boys went three-and out-in the bottom of the first and quickly moved into the second inning.

Branchburg was able to do even more damage in the second inning.  They scored nine more runs before Summit was able to get the third out.  Trailing 15-0, Summit went up to bat.

"Making simple plays," said Horn, when asked what the kids need to work on the most. "It's always going to come down to that.  We catch a fly ball, or we get ground ball out without giving extra outs, we'll be fine.  We need to work on defense."

Leading off in the second inning for Summit was Harrison Glatt.  Glatt hit a single into left field to start things off, then stole second to give his team a morale boost.  Tom Lenz batted second and hit a shallow ball to center field that gave him just enough time to arrive safely at first.  Lenz took second after a wild pitch putting Summit runners on second and third.  Mitch Suzuki knocked the ball into left field, bringing Glatt and Lenz home.  Hunter Miller got a piece of the ball but was out on a fielder's choice, and Connor Hanley was out on a diving catch by the Branchburg team. Mike Perillo reached first on an error, but Branchburg made the third out and Summit retired with two runs.

"We kind of get down, but we find a way to keep fighting back," Horn said. "The kids are putting the bat on the ball, they're making plays, we just need to make a few more plays and not give up runs so easily."

Summit went into the third inning down 15-2.  The boys did not give up, rather they looked ready to battle.  Summit allowed one run in.  Then, with the bases loaded, the Branchburg player hit the ball deep into center field.  Three runs came across the plate, and it was a race between the batter and the fielders.  Summit set-up a spectacular defensive play, and tagged the batter out just before he got to home plate. The top of the inning ended with Summit losing 19-2.

Neither team would score again for the rest of the five-inning game. Branchburg had a double play in the bottom of the third that put an end to any potential rally.  Mike Wills pitched the fourth inning and forced Branchburg to go three-and-out.  Sam Griffith made a diving stop, then a huge throw from left field to first base for a big out in the fifth inning.

"It felt good," said Griffith. "I was a bit nervous because I had never played that position before but I just tried to make it simple and got it through.  I just want to try every position out there and get better."

The game ended after only five innings as per the mercy rule.  The 14U team is now 1-4 on the season.  They face New Providence on Thursday at 6 p.m. at New Providence.