Balanced Effort Leads Madison 9/10-Year-Old Baseball

After three straight games decided by two runs or less, the Madison 9/10-year-old baseball all-stars powered past Rockaway American, 17-5, in the District 1 tournament Wednesday night at Peterson Field in Rockaway.

The win means Madison finishes Pool B play at 3-1, in second place behind Denville (3-0). Denville beat Madison, 8-6 on Tuesday. Madison can qualify for the championship bracket if Rockaway beats Denville Friday and Madison ends up ahead in the runs-per-inning tiebreaker.

No such tiebreakers were needed Wednesday, when eight of Madison's starting nine had at least one hit and scored at least one run. Paul Links, Mike Holland and Steve Coppola paced the top of the batting order with three hits each, while Jack Tamburro drove in three runs.

On the mound, Brennan Colliers put together an impressive 3 1/3-inning relief appearance, allowing no runs on five hits, striking out five and walking none.

"He did great," said Madison coach Steve Coppola. "He had great control, he made that catch, he did real well for us tonight."

Colliers made possibly the defensive play of the game, catching a wicked line drive off the bat of Rockaway's John Boss in the fourth inning and turning it into an inning-ending double play.

Madison's other defensive standout was centerfielder Links, who showed off a cannon arm in throwing out Rockaway runners–one at third base, the other at home–on two consecutive plays in the third inning.

The two previous wins for the 9/10-year-old squad had been close and high scoring: Madison defeated Tri-Town 13-12 and Morristown 15-13 earlier this week.

Wednesday's game appeared headed the same way, with Madison scoring six in the top of the first, and Rockaway rallying to make it 7-5 after two innings.

Dean DiFonzo and Jack Tamburro each had RBI doubles in the first as Madison sent 11 batters to the plate. Rockaway's Jon Opalewski blasted a home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the first, and the first baseman lined a single to left center to bring home two more in the second.

"We played tough tonight," Coppola said. "They scored and we always came back."

After that, though, it was all Madison. Links and Colliers added RBI singles in the third and fourth innings, respectively, before Madison poured it on with seven runs in the fifth inning.

In the final frame, nine of Madison's 11 hitters reached base, with RBIs coming from DiFonzo, Thomas Ito, Brian Bradley and Coppola. The mercy rule went into effect after Colliers retired the side in the bottom of the fifth.

Madison       6  1   1  2  7  x  -  17  19  1
Rockaway   2  3  0  0  0  x  -    5   9  3

MADISON:
-Paul Links: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, run scored
-Steve Coppola: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored
-Dean DiFonzo: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, double, walk
-Mark Berger: 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 3 runs scored
-Brennan Colliers: 3 1/3 innings pitched, 0 runs, 5 hits, 5 strikeouts, 0 walks

ROCKAWAY:
-Andre Trullo: 3-for-3, RBI, 2 runs scored, double
-Jon Opalewski 3-for-3, 4 RBI, run scored, 2-run home run