DENVILLE - As disappointed as Gary Faccenda was about his Denville 12s All-Star team's not being able to make it out of pool play in the 2011 District One Little League Baseball Tournament, there was no way he was disappointed in the way his team played.
    Going into their final Pool C game, Denville knew that Roxbury (4-0) and Randolph West (3-1) had already locked up the two top spots in the five-team pool and would be advancing to bracket play ... but that didn't keep Denville from playing hard throughout the game.
    Even when Chester took a 7-2 lead in the top of the second, Denville kept battling and put together a 14-run second inning and went on to an 18-8 four-inning, mercy rule victory in a game played at Gardner Field here on Tuesday, July 5.
    "This team was district runnerup as 11-year-olds and we thought we had a good shot getting that far or even farther this year," said Faccenda after the game. "We lost to a Randolph West team (5-2) that we beat last year in our second pool game and it was not to be this time around.
    "But the the kids came back and played unbeaten Roxbury National tough before they scored six times in the last two innings to beat us, 7-2 ... and they played their hearts out against Chester and we were especially proud of them for coming from behind the way they did."
    Denville finished 2-2 in pool play. Tri-Town, a team Denville beat 10-4 in the first pool game, finished 1-3 and Chester was 0-4.
    Chester jumped out to quick lead with four runs in the top of the first and Denville answered with two runs in is half of the inning when Ian Stempert reached on an error and eventually scored on Owen Roche's groundout and Danny Porth walked and eventually stole home for the second run.
    Chester answered with three runs in the top of the second inning to take a 7-2 lead and then the Denville bats exploded for 14 runs on 11 hits, three errors, two walks and a hit batsman.
    The highlight of the inning, however, was Adam Wagner coming to bat three times in the inning and getting hits in each at-bat - a double and two singles. Wagner also drove in a run and scored twice in the big inning.
    Wagner led off the inning with a double and scored when Justin Giacobbe reach on a two-base error. Nicholas Vittorio singled home Giacobbe and, after Jared Badalamenti walked, Porth and Roche each delivered singles to drive in Denville's third and fourth runs of the inning.
    Richie Boyle doubled to the fence in right-center to tie the score at 7-7 and Tyler Faccenda put Denville up by a run when his single to center brought in Porth.
    Will Kenny reached on a fielder's choice as Roche scored; Wagner followed with his second hit and RBI of the inning; Giacobbe knocked in a run with a single and, after Vittorio walked, Badalamenti singled home another run; Stempert reached on an error; Roche followed with his second hit and his second RBI of the inning; and Boyle reached on an error.
    Kenny was hit with a pitch with two out and Wagner followed with his third hit of the inning to drive in the 14th and final run of the inning.
    Chester was able to add a run in the top of the fourth, but Denville ended the game in the bottom of the inning when Boyle walked, Faccenda singled, and Kenny single dto load the bases. Wagner completed a 4-for-4 day with an RBI single and, after a forceout at home for the first out, Vittorio singled to center to score Kenny with the run that gave Denville its 10-run margin to end the game.
    Wagner's 4-for-4 day led Denville's 16-hit attack. He also finished with three RBIs and two runs scored.
    Roche, Vittorio and Faccenda each had multi-hit games. Roche was 2-for-3 with threr RBIs and two runs scored; Vittorio was 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and two runjs scored; and Faccenda was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
    Giacobbe finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored; Kenny was 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored; Porth was 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored; Badalamenti was 1-for-3 with a walk, one RBI and two runs scored; Boyle finished 1-for-2 with a double, two walks, one RBI and two runs scored; Conner Walsh was 1-for-1; and Stempert was walked and score a run.
    Badalamenti got the win, pitching three strong innings in relief of Justin Giacobbe, who worked one-plus innings. Badalamenti gave up a run (earned) on two hits and two walks and finished with four strikeouts.
    While the District One Tournament season has ended for the Denville 12-year-old All-Stars, they still have more baseball ahead of them as most of the players will be participating in the Cooperstown Dreampark Tournament later in the summer.
    "We're looking forward to visiting the Hall of Fame and playing in the tournament," said Faccenda. "The tournament attracts about 100 teams from all over the country.
    "It's a great tournament and a great trip."
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Roxbury's six runs in last two innings beat Denville, 7-2
    DENVILLE - The Roxbury National 12-year-old All-Stars, which went on to win all four of its Pool C games to advance to the bracket play round in the District One Little League Baseball Tournament, had to score three runs in each of the last two innings to hold off Denville, 7-2, in a Pool C game played at Gardner Field here on Friday, July 1, 2011.
    Roxbury National broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the fifth inning and, after Denville answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, the winners scored three more times in the top of the sixth inning. Denville is 1-2 in pool play; Roxbury is 3-0.
    Denville scored in the bottom of the first when Nicholas Vittorio walked, moved to third on two wild pitches, and scored when Danny Porth reached on an error.
    Denville scored in the fifth when Vittorio and Richie Boyle drew two-out walks and, after each moved up on a passed ball, Tyler Faccenda followed with an infield single to bring in Vittorio.    
    Faccenda finished 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI as Denville was held to four hits. Jared Badalamenti was 1-for-2 with a walk; Owen Roche was 1-for-3 with a double; and Vittorio finished 0-for-1 but drew two walks and scored twice.
    Faccenda was the starting pitcher for Denville and he worked 5.1 innings before reaching his pitch count. He gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits, two walks and a hit batsmen while striking out seven. Boyle gave up a pair of unearned runs and walked one as he finished up.
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Randolph West hands Denville 5-2 loss
    DENVILLE -  Denville's 12-year-old All-Stars couldn't overcome an early 5-0 deficit and lost its first Pool C game of the 2011 District One Little League Baseball Tournament, a 5-2 decision to Randolph West in a game played at Randolph's Freedom Park on Wednesday, June 29.
    Denville, now 1-1 in pool play, got its runs in the top of the fourth inning when Tyler Faccenda and Danny Porth singled; Jared Badalamenti followed with a single up the middle to score Faccenda as Porth took third; and Owen Roche then forced Badalamenti at second as Porth came in with the second run of the inning.
    Porth finished 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored and Nicholas Vittorio was 2-for-3 to lead Denville's seven-hit attack. Faccenda finished 1-for-3 with a run scored; Badalamenti was 1-for-2 with an RBI; and Roche was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
    Richie Boyle was the starting pitcher for Denville but had to leave the game when the Randolph-West leadoff batter in the second inning hit a shot back to the mound that hit Boyle in the foot.
    Badalamenti finished up, working four innings and allowing two runs (both unearned) on three hits and a walk while striking out one.  

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Denville two 3-run rallies beat Tri-Town, 10-4

     DENVILLE - The Denville 11-12s All-Star baseball team broke open a close game with back-to-back three run innings and went on to record a 10-4 victory over Tri-Town in a District One Little League Pool C game played at Pepe Field in Boonton Township on Sunday, June 26, 2011.
    Denville took a 3-1 lead into the top of the fourth inning and scored three times for a 6-1 lead and, after holding Tri-Town scoreless in its half of the inning, scored three more times in the top of the fifth for a 9-1 lead.
    Denville's next pool game is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29, against Randolph West at Freedom Park in Randolph at 7 p.m.
    The next two games are at home at Gardner Field - an 8 p.m. game against Robury National on Friday, July 1; and a 4 p.m. game against Chester on Sunday, July 3.
    The top two teams in each of the four pools in the tournament will then meet in an eight-team, double-elmination competition that will determine the District One champion.    
    Denville took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Danny Porth singled and scored on a double by Jared Badalamenti and then scored two more runs in third when Will Kenny and NIcholas Vittorio singled and Porth drove both runners home with a two-out double to give Denville a 3-0 lead.
    Tri-Town scored its first run of the game in the bottom of the third, but Denville answered with its back-to-back three-run innings to practically put the game out of reach.
    In the fourth inning, Conner Walsh singled, Adam Wagner was safe on a bunt and Vittorio drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Richie Boyle was safe on an error as Walsh scored and Tyler Faccenda followed with a double to drive in Wagner and Faccenda for a 6-1 lead.
    In the fifth, Porth walked, Badalamenti was hit with a pitch and Owen Roche bunted for a base hit to load the bases with no outs. Porth scored when Walsh grounded out to second and Badalamenti and Roche each scored on wild pitches to give Denville a 9-1 lead.
    Tri-Town scored two runs in the fifth; Denville picked up a run in the sixth when Badalamenti scored on another wild pitch; and Tri-Town scored the final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth and final inning.
    Porth led Denville's 12-hit attack by going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. Faccenda was 1-for-4 with his two-run double; Badalamenti was 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored; Vittorio was 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored; Roche finished 1-for-2 with a run scored; Walsh was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored; Wagner was 1-for-3 with a run scored; Kenny was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run scored; and Ian Stempert and Justin Giacobbe each finished 1-for-2.
    Faccenda (1-0) got the win, working the first 3.2 inning and giving up one run (earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out seven. Richie Boyle retired the only batter he faced; and Badalamenti finished up, working the final two innings and giving up three runs (earned) on three hits and three walks while striking out two.

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Denville 11-12 All-Stars to open play on June 26

    DENVILLE - The Denville 11-12 All-Stars will open play in the 20-team 2011 District One Williamsport Little League Tournament on Sunday, June 26, when the team faces Tri-Town at Pepe Field in Boonton Township in a Pool C game at 4 p.m.
    Denville will then play Randolph West in a 7 p.m. game at Freedom Park in Randolph on Wednesday, June 29, before returning home to Gardner Field where it will play Roxbury National at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 1, and finish pool play with a game against Chester at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 3.
    The two teams with the best record in the four-game round-robin will move on to the double-elimination portion of the tournament where they will meet the two best teams out of Pools A, B and D.
    Gary Faccenda is the manager of the Denville 11-12 All-Stars and Jeff Vittorio and Mike Walsh are his coaches.
    The roster consists of: Jared Badalamenti, Richard Boyle, Tyler Faccenda, Justin Giacobbe, Will Kenny, Danny Porth, Owen Roche, Jared Sorce, Ian Stempert, Nicholas Vittorio, Conner Walsh and Adam Wagner.
    Except for the addition of Badalamenti, this team is the same team that finished second to Mendham in last year's District One 11-year-old tournament.
    The Pool A teams are: Rockaway Township American, Rockaway Township National, Rockaway Borough, Morristown American and Madison; Pool B teams are: Hanover, Morristown National, Roxbury American, Randolph East and Florham Park; Pool D teams are: Par-Troy West, East Hanover, Morris Plains, Mendham and Par-Troy East.