Haverford Twp Baseball League (HTBL) 15/16U Team Captures 2nd Place in Branchburg NJ Baseball Club's 21st Annual Tournament

Photo #1: Players (left to right) are Tom Mann, Thomas Zukowski, Pat Bond, Kevin Zimmerman, Andrew Serpente, Connor Brown, Tim Bell, Buddy Wright, Mike Todd, Kevin Montresor, Ethan Kline

Photo #2: Players (left to right) are Thomas Zukowski (partially obstructed), Kevin Montresor, Tom Mann, Kevin Zimmerman, Buddy Wright, Conner Brown, Andrew Serpente

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The HTBL 15/16U team opened the tournament by sweeping its pool play doubleheader, earning the #1 seed for the next day's elimination round. The team won its semifinal game before ultimately falling to the Central Jersey Thunder 4-0.

Spectators witnessed a taut pitching duel between HTBL’s Kevin Zimmerman — whose no-hit bid was saved in the 5th by Mike Todd deftly handling a tricky chance at 3rd (but then was ruined when the next batter singled) — and his Thunder counterpart who threw a 3-hit, complete game shutout. The game was scoreless until the 4th, when the Thunder pushed across an unearned run. The outcome still hung in the balance with the Thunder clinging to the 1-0 lead when it came to bat in the top of the last inning. Despite 2 runners getting on board, it appeared that HTBL had slammed the door on the Thunder rally when centerfielder Thomas Zukowski threw a strike on the fly to catcher Andrew Serpente, who simultaneously caught the ball and tagged out the sliding runner … but then the continuation of the runner’s slide knocked the ball out of Serpente’s glove. The apparent out had morphed into a run; when the dust settled the Thunder had built a 4-0 cushion, knocking the title away from HTBL’s grasp. Ethan Kline relieved to get the final outs, while Zimmerman walked off to a standing ovation from the Thunder’s dugout, signaling their respect for Zimmerman’s gritty 3-hit, 10 strikeout performance.

Head Coach Lou Montresor said “I’m thrilled for my players. It’s a special group that melded into a team virtually overnight for this tournament. From 1st to last pitch they competed hard and played for each other. The team was composed of mostly 15’s so we weren’t stocked with varsity players. It was our grit, reflected by dirt-covered uniforms and individual buy-in to play whatever role would help the team succeed, that overcame our opponents’ talent and experience. From that springboard, 3 straight shutdown pitching performances backed by crisp defensive execution carried HTBL to the title game.”

The shutdown pitching began with Zimmerman, Kevin Montresor and Kline combining in the 1st game to 4-hit the Teel Ravens, an 8-2 win featuring breakout offense from Zukowski (3 for 3, 2 RBI), backed by Montresor and Buddy Wright (2 RBI each).

Conner Brown topped that pitching effort in the 2nd game by dominating a potent Eastburg (PA) lineup despite the sweltering heat, striking out 6 while hurling 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before completing a 1-hit shutout, 4-0. Zimmerman powered the offense (2 doubles, 2 RBI, run scored) while HTBL’s defense sparkled, highlighted by hit-saving plays from Tim Bell (running down deep fly in left-center); Zukowski (sliding catch in shallow center); Kline (tracked sinking fly in right); and Tom Mann (over-the-shoulder catch of blooper behind 1st).

In the semifinal the next day, the team again defeated Teel, this time by a 9-1 margin. Montresor, pitching in an efficient, workmanlike manner resulting in only one runner advancing past 1st, tossed a 3-hit complete game. Mann and Bell did the heavy lifting on offense (3 RBI each), while the defensive effort was epitomized by Pat Bond (gunning down would-be base stealer to kill Teel’s only rally) and Bell (over-the-shoulder catch in left-center alley).

For more information about HTBL, visit http://haverfordbaseball.org.