Support Our Trip To Eastern Regional Tournament
Check out my 2013 Mid-Atlantic Region Preview to see how I did last year. I can tell you too. I picked the two finalists correctly, and three of the four semifinalists. I missed DC, obviously. However, my individual picks, I had both semifinals correct and the championship correct (I changed my pick as the tournament went on to Delaware). Overall I was 25-5 for the entire East Regional. Okay, enough back patting. Here we go...
Tournament History: In the 13 years of the Mid-Atlantic region, it has proven to be one of the most balanced tournaments in the country. Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland each have three trips to Williamsport. Delaware and New Jersey each have two trips in that span. Washington D.C. has never made the trek to the LLWS.
2014 League Pedigree: This is Newark National's (DE) fourth straight trip to Bristol, and they return with four players from a team that went to the Little League World Series last year. Toms River (NJ) is a storied Little League town. The most famous of course is Todd Frazier's 1998 team, but that was Toms River East, not Toms River. Frazier's league went to Williamsport in 1995, 1998, and 1999, an incredible run. Toms River has made a huge move in the last decade. They advanced to Bristol in 2005, and Williamsport in 2010. West Salisbury (MD) has been to Bristol three times including 2012, 2007, and 2003. In 2007, they advanced to the LLWS as well.
Northwest Washington (DC) has wrestled control of D.C. baseball from Capitol City. They've made the trip to Bristol four times in the last six years, but have yet to make the semifinals. Colonie (NY) has won titles in four different decades. This is their fifth overall. The last was in 2004. Before that was 1987.
Finally, we have Taney Youth Baseball (PA) who just switched to Little League two years ago. This is their first shot at Williamsport after winning the Pennsylvania title last week.
Team Previews (Overall 2014 Record in Parentheses)
Northwest Washington, DC (6-0): NWLL returns to Bristol for the fourth time in six years and in those four trips a Furlong brother has come along. Three total Furlong brothers will play in the Mid-Atlantic tournament this year when Charlie steps onto the diamond. That ties two other families in the East Region (that we know of). The Pickerings from Lincoln (RI) and the Plebani's of Capitol City (DC). Northwest Washington has used good pitching and timely hitting to win the tough games in its run so far. The top three hitters in their lineup are really tough.
Newark National, DE (8-1): Newark National returns for the fourth time with a serious pedigree now. They've been fantastic the last three years with a 13-4 record. National brings back four players from last year including Jack Hardcastle, Brandon Sengphachanh, Brett Callahan, and David Hawtof. They've added the big arm and bat of A.J. Blanchard as well. Despite having some tough games in Delaware, this team may be deeper than last year.
West Salisbury, MD (12-1): West Salisbury won the state title as 11-year olds last year and the league has experience. West Salisbury has put up a ton of runs on the run to the regionals, especially its final three games where they crossed the plate 43 total times. Ryan Teaman and Ryan Mitchell are blasting home runs at a really high rate. Six different players hit eight total home runs in one day in the state finals doubleheader.
Toms River, NJ (15-2): Toms River has played a ton of games this summer already and had some really tough competition in the state final four. This team is big, strong, and can really hit a fastball though. Jon Giordano is the team's ace and biggest bat. He hit a pair of home runs in the final four and was walked intentionally or "unintentionally" seven straight times though. He also hit one 323 feet. No really. Watch it go 323 feet right here.
Jonathan Giordano game-tying HR with 2 out in the 6th from All Shore Media on Vimeo.
Toms River features one of the two girls in this regional in Kayla Roncin. She isn't one of the team's marquee players but she's got home run power (Watch) and picked up one of the most gut-wrenching one-pitch saves you'll ever see in the state championship. The rest of the lineup hits home runs 1-9. If the pitching goes deeper than one or two arms, they're a favorite here.
Colonie, NY (12-1): Colonie is coming off five straight wins in five days in the New York State Tournament after an opening round loss. The wild tournament concluded with a 1-0 victory, 7-6 victory, and then 24-2, 15-1, and 15-0 blowout wins. Collin McDonough is swinging a hot bat and Jakob Lemperle has a ton of power and ability to shut you down on the mound. Ian Parker and Jimmy Davis can also change the game with one swing as well.
Taney Youth Baseball, PA (12-1): Taney, out of Philadelphia, has the look of a regional championship contender despite being one of the least dominant looking teams on the road to Bristol. When you see Taney in person, you'll realize why they win games though. Zion Spearman is one of the most intimidating batters you'll see in the box. Kai Cummings, all 6-foot-1 of him, is imposing in his own right, and Joe Richardson also strikes fear in his opponents. Jared Sprague-Lott is a very good ace pitcher and hits really well in the middle of the lineup. Mo'Ne Davis, the other girl in this regional tournament, is a solid pitcher and has shown some power in the last couple games. She's a fantastic athlete and the smoothest female player I've ever seen on the diamond. Taney would be even scarier offensively if they tinkered with their batting order significantly.
Projected Records and Predictions
Pennsylvania 4-0
New Jersey 4-0
Delaware 2-2
New York 2-2
Maryland 0-4
Washington, D.C. 0-4
Semifinals: Pennsylvania over New York 7-5, New Jersey over Delaware 10-5
Final: New Jersey 6, Pennsylvania 4
DAY 1 Predictions: Delaware over Maryland, 5-1. New York over DC, 12-2.
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2 comments:
Toms River also has a returning siblings. last time to Williamsport they had now 1st team all county as a Sophomore Joey Rose(3rd basemen) who Bobby Valentine praised over and over now they have Vinnie Rose the leadoff hitter of this amazing line-up-- player to watch for is Cino I've followed this team all thru districts to the states and this kid always seems to come up big when it matters most--he hit a big HR against Holbrook to win districts and Holbrook in my eyes is one of the best teams in the country just so happens there in the same district as T.R.
Toms River had a scare in NJ States vs little known Wood Ridge-Moonachie and Ocean City. both Wood Ridge and Ocean City #1 pitchers held TR at bay until the dreaded pitch count; if there's another team with 2 true #1's TR will have a hard time.
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