They are the Champions - Twice!
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The Denville Blue Devils 14U softball team added the Babe Ruth Middle Atlantic Regional championship to state championship the team won earlier this post-season. In photo above, the Blue Devils strike a happy pose with their regional championship banner. Front row, left to right: Sarah Hill, Emily Wisneski, Kelsey Hanson, Mia Baldassari, Sarah Houtsma and Kelly Ebersole; back row: Sandy Vuong, Maggie Shaw, Mary Schreck, Madison Housel and Chelsea Fischer. In photo below, the team shows off its state title banner. Front row, left to right: Hill, Wisneski, Baldassari and Hanson; back row: Ebersole, Vuong, Corisa Quincey, Housel, Schreck, Shaw, Fischer and Houtsma. Tony Baldassari, Mike Hanson, Rob Hill and David Quincey coach the team.
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MIDDLE ATLANTIC TOURNAMENT
Blue Devils win Regional title
as Shaw, Baldassari lead way
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DENVILLE - They had a tough time getting out Maggie Shaw ... and they also had a tough time getting on against Mia Baldassari.
In then end, it added up to a Babe Ruth League Middle Atlantic Regional championship for the Denville Blue Devils 14U softball team, which won all four games it played in the double-elimination tournament featuring seven state championship and runnerup teams at Walker Field in King of Prussia, Pa., during the three-day weekend of Friday-Sunday, July 29-31.
Denville won the championship game by beating Pennsylvania state champ and host team Upper Merion, 12-0, in a five-inning mercy-rule shortened game on Sunday. On Saturday, the Blue Devils beat Pennsylvania state runnerup Stonersville, 9-4. Friday's games saw Denville beat Middle New York state champ Pelham Bay, 19-1, in another five-inning mercy-rule game after opening the tournament with a 13-0 mercy-rule victory over the Kent Krusherz, the state champs of Maryland.
The Blue Devils outscored their competition, 53-5, and had a team batting average of .540 (54-for-100) in their four victories. Shaw led the onslaught by going 11-for-14 with 10 RBIs and eight runs scored.
Baldassari won all four games, allowing but four runs (three earned) on only seven hits and nine walks while striking out 22. Her earned-run average for the tournament was 1.56. Twice, she shared shutout victories with Mary Schreck, who worked six innings in two games and allowed but one run (earned) on four hits and no walks while striking out four.
The team is coached by Tony Baldassari, Mike Hanson, Rob Hill and David Quincey.
How the games unfolded:
Denville 12, Upper Merion 0 (championship game)
Denville held a 5-0 lead after three innings Sunday and put the game out of reach with a seven-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth and, when Upper Merion failed to score in the top of the fifth, the game was halted by the tournament's mercy rule and the Blue Devils had their second consecutive championship, having won the New Jersey state title the previous weekend.
Shaw had a two-run double and Kelsey Hanson singled to score Shaw to give Denville a 3-0 lead after one inning. Hanson's two-out fifth-inning double drove in Emily Wisneski and Baldassari, who had walked to open the inning.
In the big seven-run inning, Sarah Houtsma doubled in two runs; Shaw had a two-run single; and Sarah Hill, Hanson and Chelsea Fischer each added RBI singles.
Shaw and Hanson each finished with four RBIs to lead the Blue Devils' 14-hit attack. Shaw was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Hanson was 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Fischer finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored; Schreck was 2-for-2 with a run scored; Hill was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored; Baldassari was 1-for-2 with two runs scored; Houstsma was 1-for-3 with two RBIs; Kelly Ebersole was 1-for-2 with as run scored; Sandy Vuong was 1-for-1; and Madison Housel scored a run.
Baldassari pitched a five-inning, four-hit, complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts and only one walk.
Denville 9, Stonersville (Pa.) 4
The Blue Devils had to come from behind to win this one, scoring seven runs in the top of the sixth.
Stonersville took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the third inning and held Denville off the scoreboard until the top of the fifth, when the Blue Devils scored two runs when Baldassari doubled in Hill with the first run and then scored the second run when Shaw's triple to left allowed Baldassari to score easily.
Stonersville answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Denville wasted no time in the top of the sixth to push across their seven runs.
Hanson singled and Fischer walked and both moved up a base when Houtsma grounded out to second. Ebersole drew a walk to load the bases and Schreck and Hill each followed with walks to force in the first two Blue Devils' runs of the inning and tie the game at 4-4.
After a forceout at home for the second out, Baldassari drove in what proved to be the winning runs when she singled in Schreck and Hill for a 6-4 lead. Baldassari and Wisneski each moved up a base on a wild pitch and Shaw followed with a single to drive them both home and Shaw eventually scored the final run of the inning on a single by Housel.
Baldassari and Shaw each had three hits and three RBIs as Baldassari finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored and Shaw was also 3-for-4 with a triple, three RBIs and a run scored.
Housel finished 1-for-3 with an RBI; Hanson was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored; Schreck was 0-for-1, drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk and scored once; and Hill scored twice.
Baldassari went the distance, giving up four runs (three earned) in seven innings on three hits and five walks while striking out six.
Denville 19, Pelham Bay 1
Housel was 3-for-3 with four RBIs; Shaw was 4-for-4 with three RBIs; and Baldassari and Hanson each drove in three runs in the mercy-rule win over Pelham Bay. Wisneski, Baldassasri, Hanson and Fischer each finished the game with two hits as Denille pounded out 16 hits.
The Blue Devils scored runs in each of their four at-bats with a nine-run third inning doing the most damage.
Baldassari, Shaw and Housel each had RBI singles in the three-run first inning; Housel's two-run double, an RBI single by Hasnson, and Baldassari's sacrifice fly drove in the four second-inning runs; Schreck had a two-run double and Wisneski, Baldassari, Shaw, Housel, Fischer each had RBI singles to highlight the nine-run third inning; and Shaw, Hanson and Fischer singled in the Denville's three fourth-inning runs.
Baldassari started and threw two scoreless and hitless innings, striking out five and walking only one. Schreck finished, allowing an earned run on twho hits while striking out three and walking none in her three innings olf work.
Denville 13, Kent 0
The Blue Devils wasted no time in putting a good dent in the tournament scoreboard as they scored nine times in the first inning in their tournament opener and followed that up with single runs in the second and third and two more in the fourth to end the game because of the tournament's mercy rule.
Houtsma and Housel were each 3-for-3 to lead the Blue Devils' 16-hit attack. Houtsma drove in four runs and scored twice and Housel had an RBI and a run scored.
Shaw was 2-for-3 with two runs scored; Hanson was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored; Vuong was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored; Hill was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored; Wisnewski was 1-for-4 with an RBI; Baldassari was 1-for-3 with an RBI; Fischer was 1-for-2 with two runs scored; and Schreck walked twice and score a run.
Baldassari started for the Blue Devils and worked the first two innings, allowing no runs and no hits while striking out four and walking two. Schreck finished completed the shutout by pitching the last three innings and allowing two hits while striking out one and walking none.
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BRL SOFTBALL STATE TOURNEY
Wisneski, Houtsma, Baldassari
lift Blue Devils to championship
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DENVILLE - Emily Wisneski scored the first run and drove in the winning run ... Sarah Houtsma drove in the first run ... and Mia Baldassari pitched a complete-game three-hitter when the Denville Blue Devils beat West Milford, 2-1, to win the Babe Ruth League NNJ Softball State 14U Championship in a game at Manalapan on Saturday, July 7, 2011.
The Blue Devils won all four of their games in the six-team, double-elimination competition, beating West Milford twice - once in a first-round game and again in the title game. The same two teams met for the state title last year with West Milford winning it all.
Baldassari gave up one run (earned) on three hits while striking out three and walking three in seven innings. Baldassari pitched in all four tournament games, working a total of 21 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out 14 and walking 11.
With the score tied at 1-1, Kelly Hanson got Denville's sixth-inning winning rally started with a one-out double to right-center. After an infield fly for the second out, Wisneski came through with a clutch two-out single to drive in Hanson with the game-winner.
Denville opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth when Wisneski hit a two-out single to center, stole second and scored on Houtsma's single to center.
West Milford, which beat Manalpan, 4-2, in the losers bracket final to reach the title game, got its run in the top of the fifth on two walks and a two-out single.
Houtsma and Wisnewski each had two hits and an RBI to lead Denville's seven-hit attack as Houtsma finished 2-for-2 and Wisnewski went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Hanson was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored; Baldassari was 1-for-2 with a walk; and Maggie Shaw was 1-for-3.
In the other games:
Denville 13, Manapalan 0
Baldassari pitched a five-inning mercy-rule shortened one-hitter and had a perfect day at the plate when Denville beat Manapalan, 13-0, in the winners' bracket final.
The Blue Devils hammered out 17 hits and scored in each of the five innings, closing out the game with a six-run fifth inning.
Baldassari finished 4-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs; Shaw was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs; Madison Housel finished 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs; Wisneski was 2-for-3 with one RBI; Houtsma was 2-for-2 with an RBI; and Kelly Ebersol, Chelsea Fischer, Corisa Quincy, Hanson and Schreck each had singles to complete the attack.
Denville 10, Maplewood/South Orange 0
Baldassari and Schreck combined on a one-hit shutout when the Blue Devils beat Maplewood/South Orange, 13-0, in the second game of the tournament.
Baldassari worked the first two innings and allowed no runs on no hits while striking out three and walking one. Schreck pitching the last three innings of the five-inning, mercy-rule shortened game and gave up no runs on one hit while striking out four and walking but one.
Denville scored four times in each of the first two innings and added two more in the fourth for its 10 runs.
Housel was 3-for-3 with a double and four RBIs and Kelsey Hanson was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, one on a sacrifice fly as Denville made the most of its five hits, six walks and two Maplewood errors in its four at-bats.
Denville 3, West Milford 2
The Blue Devils opened their tournament run with a 3-2 victory over West Milford, scoring all three of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and then holding on for their one-run victory as West Milford scored a run in each of the sixth and seventh innings.
Baldassari won the battle of three-hitters, giving up two runs (one earned) on three singles while striking out three and walking three.
Denville broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when Schreck, the Blue Devils No. 9 hitter, drew a walk and leadoff hitter Sarah Hill also walked to put runners on first and second. Baldassari followed with a double over the left fielder's head as Schreck and Hill scored and then Shaw followed with a single to left to drive in Baldassari with what proved to be the winning run.
Baldassari and Schreck each finished 1-for-2 with Baldassari driving in two runs and Schreck one. Hanson got the only other Blue Angel hit, a double in three at-bats.
On to Regional Tournament
Next up for the new state champs is the Babe Ruth League Middle Atlantic Softball Regional Tournament that is scheduled to start on Friday, July 29, at Upper Merion, Pa
Joining the Blue Devils in the seven-team, double-elimination competition are the Kent (Md.) Krusherz, Willingboro (NJ) 14U, Valley (WNY) All-Stars, Pelham Bay (NY) Belles, Stonersville (Pa.) Flames, and the host Upper Merion (Pa.) Dirty Diamonds.
Next up for the new state champs is the Babe Ruth League Middle Atlantic Softball Regional Tournament that is scheduled to start on Friday, July 29, at Upper Merion, Pa
Joining the Blue Devils in the seven-team, double-elimination competition are the Kent (Md.) Krusherz, Willingboro (NJ) 14U, Valley (WNY) All-Stars, Pelham Bay (NY) Belles, Stonersville (Pa.) Flames, and the host Upper Merion (Pa.) Dirty Diamonds.
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