BSP falls in title game
UNION >> The Broad Street Park Post 313 baseball team appeared to be on its way to another state title when the winningest team in New Jersey American Legion history found inspiration.
A two-out pop up lost in the lights opened the door for Brooklawn Post 72 Red to come away with the 2019 crown after a 3-1 win at Kean University’s Jim Hynes Stadium Wednesday night. With the victory,
Brooklawn advances to the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Asheboro, N.C. Aug. 7-11.
“This group battled all season and put themselves in position to win another state championship,” BSP manager Mike Petrowski said.
After enduring a threehour rain delay, both teams went four innings before either could get on the board.
Zach Brown (2-for-2) put Post 313 on the board first with a squeeze bunt which he turned into a double.
Sean Elefant started the fifth inning with a sharp line drive off the throwing arm of Post 72 starting pitcher Mike Shannon. Shannon had to leave the game with numbness in his arm.
Steven Meckel greeted new pitcher Joe Kidd with a single to left field. Then Brown laid down his bunt which Kidd could not pick up immediately. Elefant scored on the play, and Brown continued all the way to second base when he saw no one covering the bag.
Broad Street Park starting pitcher Ryan Iovine retired the next two batters he faced and appeared to be on his way to getting out of the bottom of the fifth when a popup between first and second base was lost in the lights. Dustin Bellis reached on the hit, then Iovine walked Jake McNellis and Chase Conklin to load the bases.
Tim Sharpley came on for Iovine, and Tournament Most Valuable Player Logan Manuola hit a booming triple to center field, which scored all three runners.
Post 313 (24-7) had a chance at another run in the sixth when Connor Luckie doubled down the rightfield line with Andy Jaquez on first with two outs after being hit by a pitch.
Jaquez tried to score on the hit, but got gunned down on a relay from right fielder Manuola to first baseman Nick Nocella to catcher Bellis.
In its final game under Petrowski, who has been named pitching coach at Rider University, and retiring athletic director Chuck Giambelluca, Broad Street Park outhit Post 72, 6-4, but could not rally to another state title.
Manuola made a diving catch on a quick-sinking fly ball by Elefant in the seventh, then shortstop Conklin robbed Meckel of a hit. Kidd retired Travis Holonics for the final out, giving Brooklawn its 30th state crown. BroadStPark (24-7) 000 010 0 - 1 6 2 BrooklawnRed (27-10-1) 000 030 x - 3 4 0 2B- ZBrown, CLuckie (BSP), Coyle (BR). 3B- Manuola (BR). RBIs- ZBrown (BSP), Manuola 3 (BR).
WP- Kidd; LP- Iovine (6-2).