Hamilton Post 31 Catcher Kenny Zahn can’t handle the tough hop on the throw from Jake Beyer. Photo by Michael A. Sabo

By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com

July 27: Just look at the line score and you will say to yourself – actually, you will blurt out – “how the heck did that happen?”

Hopewell Post 339 —  12 13 2
Hamilton Post 31 —      2  13 2

That’s not a misprint. Both teams had the same amount of hits and committed the same amount of errors, and yet Hopewell took a 12-2 win over Hamilton in eight innings in the New Jersey American Legion State Tournament championship game Thursday night at Ewing’s Moody Park.

After using its top four pitchers in games Sunday through Wednesday in order to reach the Final Four (excluding a Monday forfeit in which Dave Stec threw just a half inning), Post 31 was forced to start a JV pitcher with just eight innings of legion work against Post 339. Hopewell, which also started on Sunday, was able to start ace Zach Bregenzer because it had clinched a semifinal spot after two games and did not have to burn its top flight pitching to advance from pool play

Hamilton Post 31 Brady Plunkett drives a single against Hopewell. Photo by Michael A. Sabo

Nerves played a big part for the young Hamilton hurler, as Hopewell scored early and often in taking a 6-0 lead after two innings. What was surprising is, Bregenzer did not pitch like an ace – until he had to.

Hamilton trailed 9-2 for much of the game, but it felt like a close contest as Post 31’s offense was relentless. But Hamilton left 10 runners on through the first six innings and hit into three inning-ending double plays during that time – one with runners on first and second, one with bases loaded and one with runners on first and third.

Cashing in on any of those opportunities could have put some pressure on Hopewell, but Bregenzer answered every challenge with the help of his defense.

“We were a couple hits away from really getting back in it,” manager Rick Freeman said. “We had bases loaded with less than two outs a couple times, second and third with less than two outs. Hit into three double plays. Give them the credit, they made the plays.”

And Bregenzer made the necessary pitches.

“He did,” Freeman said.

Interestingly enough, over half of Hamilton’s hits came from the bottom half of the lineup as Chris Cote had three, Brady Plunkett and Kenny Zahn had two each and Chris Harkness had a hit and two RBI.

Trailing 8-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Hamilton got a break on an error by Andy Blake, who was the tournament’s Golden Glove second baseman by far. After allowing one run and having the bases loaded with one out, Bregenzer got the final two with no damage.

Trailing 9-2 in the fifth, Hamilton loaded the bases and a Blake-to-Will Karp flip started a second HoVal double play. With runners on first and third in the sixth, Karp fielded a grounder and gunned to first for his second 6-6-3 DP of the night.

What kept Post 31 in striking distance was a gutsy relief performance by none other than shortstop Joey Sacco, who last pitched in travel ball two years ago and had never pitched on the legion or 

Hamilton Post Pitcher Joey Sacco delivers against Hopewell. Photo by Michael A. Sabo

high school varsity level. Sacco allowed four runs – three earned – in 5.2 innings.

“I might have to ice it,” a smiling Sacco said, rubbing his arm. “They told me after the game yesterday I might have to throw some innings. I just came in, tried to pitch to contact and ate up some innings. I’m happy as I can be with how I threw, but ultimately we didn’t get the win.”

“How impressive was that?” Freeman asked. “He’s just a baseball player and he proved that. He did his best to keep us in the game. When he got into the 90s (with pitches), at some point you just can’t go any further.”

Once Sacco exited, Hopewell scored three runs in the eighth and Bregenzer put the finishing touches on his 13-hitter, which gave Post 339 the first state title in program history.

Hamilton Post 31 Left Fielder Chris Harkness makes a leaping catching to rob Hopewell of an extra base hit. PHoto by Michael A. Sabo

“We had a great season, but Hopewell had a great season as well,” said Sacco, who played travel ball with several Hopewell players.  “Good luck to them. They’ll do well in regionals I think. And our season is nothing to hang our heads about.”

“It was a great year,” Freeman said. “You go 28-8, that’s pretty good. You get this far and it’s an empty feeling but in a couple days you’ll feel pretty good about things and what they accomplished and how far they came.”

This is an updated version of the original story posted on Fish4scores, in which we stated Hopewell had an advantage in its pitching rotation because it started the tournament on Saturday, not Sunday. That was not the case. Both Hopewell and Hamilton began on Sunday. We apologize to Post 339 for the error.