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SIDMAN, Pa. – Hunter Layhew pitched six strong innings and the Maryland State Crabfest fought off a late comeback bid by the New Brunswick Matrix during a 7-5 victory Tuesday in an All American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament Pool B game at Forest Hills Junior-Senior High School.
“We put some guys on and we persevered," New Brunswick manager Michael Higginbotham said. "The pitching came through, (we received) timely hitting and we played good defense. That’s all it takes. You have to get 27 outs, and we got 27 outs."
The start of the game was delayed 35 minutes because of fog.
Maryland State (2-0) wasted no time getting to New Brunswick starter Dominic Massaro. Jason Gregory grounded into a double play that scored Caleb Lawson and staked the Crabfest to the game’s first run.
Collin Perna’s two-out single in the home half of the first scored Mickey Gilligan and tied the score at 1-all.
Maryland State's Michael Copenspire’s fourth-inning fly ball was mishandled by Dominic Long, leading to a pair of runs. Ian Hull drove in Harry Middlebrooks with a fourth run that closed the book on Massaro.
Lawson scored on an error by shortstop Julius Rosado and Gregory came across on a single by Middlebrooks. Maryland State took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth and appeared to be well in command.
“It really does not matter who is on the mound for the other team," New Brunswick manager Glenn Fredricks said. "If we don’t play to our capabilities, we’re not going give ourselves a chance to win the game. They put up a crooked number in the fourth inning on missed plays by our defense. The damage for us was self-inflicted. We cannot operate like that, especially when the other guy is good on the mound.”
Layhew allowed only one hit and no earned runs. He struck out seven and walked two.
“Layhew did a heck of a job,” Higginbotham said. “He mixed his pitches really well, kept the hitters off-balance. He did a good job for us.”
Ryan Seifert relieved Layhew in the seventh. Joe Spinello scored on a fielder’s choice to draw the Matrix closer.
Ryan Parks singled in a run in the eighth inning to give Maryland State what appeared to be an insurmountable 7-2 lead.
Lawson, Middlebrooks, Parks and Hull each provided two hits for Maryland State.
New Brunswick (0-2) pecked away at the difference as it scored a pair of runs off Seibert in the eighth inning. Dom Inzilla and Dominic Long delivered run-scoring singles that pulled the Matrix within three. Joseph Spinello had two hits for New Brunswick.
Higginbotham turned to lanky right-hander Owen Shaprow to pitch the ninth. He allowed a one-out RBI double by Gilligan and then retired the next two men. A walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases, however, before he recorded a strikeout to bring the game to a close.
“Our guys held on, did a good job, and we came out with a ‘W,’ ” Higginbothan said.
Maryland State returns to Forest Hills at noon Wednesday to play 2-0 New Orleans. Both teams advance with two squads in Pool B at 2-0 and the other pair at 0-2.
Higginbotham said the team’s approach will remain the same even though the Crabfest advance to Thursday’s round of eight.
“We’re going to play every game to win every game," Higginbotham said. "Nothing will change for us at all."
New Brunswick takes on Columbus at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the first of three games at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point. There is little that remains for the Matrix to play for before it returns home.
“We have to play for pride at some point, don’t you, like we did in the ninth inning?" Fredricks asked. "At some point in time when it becomes man to man, you have to step up and do your thing. We didn’t do that (Monday). We didn’t do it toda. We were too busy focused on the wrong things. If we focus on the right things tomorrow, I think we’ll be OK.”
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“We put some guys on and we persevered," New Brunswick manager Michael Higginbotham said. "The pitching came through, (we received) timely hitting and we played good defense. That’s all it takes. You have to get 27 outs, and we got 27 outs."
The start of the game was delayed 35 minutes because of fog.
Maryland State (2-0) wasted no time getting to New Brunswick starter Dominic Massaro. Jason Gregory grounded into a double play that scored Caleb Lawson and staked the Crabfest to the game’s first run.
Collin Perna’s two-out single in the home half of the first scored Mickey Gilligan and tied the score at 1-all.
Maryland State's Michael Copenspire’s fourth-inning fly ball was mishandled by Dominic Long, leading to a pair of runs. Ian Hull drove in Harry Middlebrooks with a fourth run that closed the book on Massaro.
Lawson scored on an error by shortstop Julius Rosado and Gregory came across on a single by Middlebrooks. Maryland State took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth and appeared to be well in command.
“It really does not matter who is on the mound for the other team," New Brunswick manager Glenn Fredricks said. "If we don’t play to our capabilities, we’re not going give ourselves a chance to win the game. They put up a crooked number in the fourth inning on missed plays by our defense. The damage for us was self-inflicted. We cannot operate like that, especially when the other guy is good on the mound.”
Layhew allowed only one hit and no earned runs. He struck out seven and walked two.
“Layhew did a heck of a job,” Higginbotham said. “He mixed his pitches really well, kept the hitters off-balance. He did a good job for us.”
Ryan Seifert relieved Layhew in the seventh. Joe Spinello scored on a fielder’s choice to draw the Matrix closer.
Ryan Parks singled in a run in the eighth inning to give Maryland State what appeared to be an insurmountable 7-2 lead.
Lawson, Middlebrooks, Parks and Hull each provided two hits for Maryland State.
New Brunswick (0-2) pecked away at the difference as it scored a pair of runs off Seibert in the eighth inning. Dom Inzilla and Dominic Long delivered run-scoring singles that pulled the Matrix within three. Joseph Spinello had two hits for New Brunswick.
Higginbotham turned to lanky right-hander Owen Shaprow to pitch the ninth. He allowed a one-out RBI double by Gilligan and then retired the next two men. A walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases, however, before he recorded a strikeout to bring the game to a close.
“Our guys held on, did a good job, and we came out with a ‘W,’ ” Higginbothan said.
Maryland State returns to Forest Hills at noon Wednesday to play 2-0 New Orleans. Both teams advance with two squads in Pool B at 2-0 and the other pair at 0-2.
Higginbotham said the team’s approach will remain the same even though the Crabfest advance to Thursday’s round of eight.
“We’re going to play every game to win every game," Higginbotham said. "Nothing will change for us at all."
New Brunswick takes on Columbus at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the first of three games at Sargent’s Stadium at the Point. There is little that remains for the Matrix to play for before it returns home.
“We have to play for pride at some point, don’t you, like we did in the ninth inning?" Fredricks asked. "At some point in time when it becomes man to man, you have to step up and do your thing. We didn’t do that (Monday). We didn’t do it toda. We were too busy focused on the wrong things. If we focus on the right things tomorrow, I think we’ll be OK.”
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