Local 13s head to the shore for SNJ tourney
It’ll be three veteran baseball men guiding the fortunes of the District One Babe Ruth League allstars in the 13-year old tournament being hosted by Atlantic Shore.
Jim Petersohn, who is coming off a World Series appearance with the Hamilton/Northern Burlington 14’s in 2017, has the HNB 13’s this season. Frank Costantino, who has guided Nottingham’s teams to district and state titles along with a trip to the regional, will have the Hamilton Square Gang’s 13’s and Andrew Liggio, a veteran of West Windsor-Plainsboro baseball guides the WW-P team in the tourney.
Games will be played at Atlantic Shore’s fields in Ventnor and Somers Point. Atlantic Shore is also the host of the 13-year old Middle Atlantic Regional. So, that means the possibility of three teams, including Atlantic Shore can advance.
“As coaches we excited about this group of players,” said Liggio. “It’s a good mix of boys from four towns (West Windsor, Plainsboro, Cranbury, Princeton) and they have jumped right in and it was great to see them communicating so well with each other.”
WW-P plays the late game against Washington Twp. Blue at 8:30 p.m. at the Somers Point field on Thursday.
The toughest draw of the tourney fell to Nottingham. It will face host Atlantic Shore at 8:30 p.m. in Ventnor on Thursday. AS has always been a quality opponent and no one should expect anything different this season.
“We have a nice blend of players from HTRBA (District 12 winners in 2017) and Nottingham Little League,” said Costantino. “I am encouraged that we can make a run for the state title.”
Hamilton/Northern Burlington will open the tournament at Somers Point at 6 p.m. against Brick American on Thursday.
“This is a team that knows the game and have been coached well,” said Petersohn, of the Switlik Park Kids. “We have won over 20 games since the fall.”
All three of the District One teams have some definite assets that make them contenders for the state title.
“We like our front line pitching with Josh Kim, Kenny Schiavone and Luis Saldivia,” said Liggio, of the WW-P hurlers. “But, we know we need good team defense and contact hitting to have success in this tournament. Team play and supporting each other has been our main focus.”
This is a group that gives Petersohn backs to the 13’s. he coached in 2016 that won the districts and played into the regional.
“They are a bunch of scrappy kids that love to practice and get better each day,” said Petersohn. “We know we have to throw strikes, make routine plays and put the ball in play.”
The Nottingham kids have an all for one mentality and that should keep them on an even keel has they and Atlantic Shore have the extra game.
“All the boys have bought into the team first concept,” said Costantino. “We will hit the ball and we have some team speed. It’s going to come down to how well we pitch and play defense.”