The Hamilton-NB Babe Ruth 14-Year-Old All Stars are World Series bound and they made it look rather easy.
Going undefeated in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament, Hamilton-NB Babe Ruth defeated the Sayreville Panthers by a final score of 4-1 and are on their way to Virginia for the Babe Ruth World Series.
“This team is coming together for a greater good and they are buying into to and building on what Coach Mike Moceri has been teaching them. Our entire pitching staff has been great, every game somebody else is contributing and coming up with the big hit or a big play in the field. It’s not one or two guys, it is 15 guys that we can depend on every single game” explained Manager Jim Petershon.
The recipe for success for the Hamilton-NB Babe Ruth 14’s is rather simple!
You take a coaching staff consisting of a passionate Manager(Jim Petershon) with raw knowledge, a deep love of the game and a love for the kids, persuade a veteran pitching coach (Frank Gatto) with multiple varsity high school division, area and state titles under his belt to join the squad, then add a young coach (Mike Moceri Jr.) with a baseball pedigree that includes being named First Team All-ECAC at Kean University, you mix that with 15 talented, coachable young men that are willing to put their team above their own egos, throw in dedicated league officials and parents….poof….you have yourself – District Champs, State Champs, and Regional Champs with a hunger to be World Series Champs!
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“What both Mike and Frank have brought to this team is unbelievable and both the kids and I cant thank them enough”, Petershon added
Hamilton-NB Babe Ruth pitching has been a dominating factor all tournament season and this game was no different.
Nick Nemes started the game going 4 solid innings with 1 unearned run crossing the plate. The only run Bridgewater would see all game. He allowed just 3 hits and one walk. In the 5th, Tom Neidermaier would come on in relief and wiggle out of bases loaded jam in the 6th giving Hamilton-NB Babe Ruth an electrifying bolt of energy that closer David Zamora would harness to fan 2 of the 3 batters he faced in the final frame to send the boys from Switlik Park packing for Virginia.
Pitching coach Frank Gatto who coached the Steinert Spartans Varsity squad for years made a return after taking this season off from High School coaching and joined the ranks with Petershon and Moceri Jr. to lend a hand and countless years of wisdom to the kids.
“I love coaching kids”, explained Gatto, who besides coaching baseball also coaches football at Nottingham High School. Jimmy and Mike are great guys, in it for all the right reasons and I’ve just enjoyed it so much, these kids pull together and they’re coachable, they want to learn and that’s what has made it so great for me and I’m having fun. Some times kids give you that giddy up and I’ve just enjoyed every minute”.
At the plate for Hamilton, Gavin Martin lead the way going 2 for 3 and scoring two runs. Perdomo, Giambelluca, Zamora, and Luckie all had hits as four runs would be all that Hamilton need to secure their spot in history and a trip to Virgina.
