Belleville Little League 11U All-Star baseball team crowned District 8 Tournament champions; finishes runner-up in Section Tournament

BELLEVILLE, NJ – The Belleville Little League 11U All-Star baseball team enjoyed a memorable summer.

The team won the District 8 Tournament championship and finished runner-up in the Section 2 Tournament.

Highlights

District 8 Tournament

Game 1 – July 8 versus Nutley East

Final Score: Belleville 8, Nutley East 0

• Ayden Carrero pitched a complete game, 63-pitch shutout with seven strikeouts. He also went 1 for 3 with a double and an RBI.
• JC Pacheco went 3 for 3 with 3 singles and 2 runs scored.
• Crismel DeLeon went 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI and scored 3 runs scored.
• Peter Garcia went 1 for 3 with a base hit and 1 run scored.

Key Highlights: 63-pitch complete game by Ayden Carrero and solid hitting by the team to get the 8-0 win.  JC Pacheco sets the tone as the leadoff man going 3 for 4 and scoring 2 times to get the tournament kicked off right.

Game 3 – July 14 versus Nutley America

Final Score: Belleville 13,  Nutley American 3

• JC Pacheco was the winning pitcher. He threw 65 pitches in four innings with 5 strikeouts. Ayden Carrero closed with 18 pitches and 2 strikeouts. JC Pacheco also went 1-for-2 with 1 single, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored.
• Crismel DeLeon went 4 went 4 with 2 triples, 2 singles, 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored.
• Mike Ortiz was 1 for 2 with 1 triple and 1 RBI.

Key Highlights:  Crismel DeLeon stays hot against Nutley American pitchers and the boys continued to hit the ball well to all corners of the field with solid pitching by JC Pacheco and Ayden Carrero.

Game 4 – July 16 versus Bloomfield.

Final Score: Belleville 6, Bloomfield 1

• Ayden Carrero was the winning pitcher with 39 pitches and Crismel closed the game, pitching 46 pitches. Crismel also was 2 for 2 with 2 singles, 2 RBIs and 1 run scored Ayden also was 1 for 3 with 1  double and 1 run scored.
• Jordan Rosario was 1 for 3 with 1 single and 1 run scored

Key Highlights: Timely hitting with Crismel being involved in 3 or 6 runs scored. Solid pitching performance by Ayden with defensive gem by the entire team to hold Bloomfield to 1 run.

Game 5 – July 18 District Championship Game versus Livingston

Final Score: Belleville 12, Livingston 4

• Ayden Carrero was the winning pitcher with 84 pitches and five strikeouts.
• JC Pacheco 4 was 4 with 3 doubles and 1 single, 3 runs scored.
• Jordan Rosario was 3 for 4 with 3 singles and 2 runs scored.
• Zachary Gemino was 2 for 3 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
• Jake Santos was  2 for 3 with 2 singles, 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
• Crismel DeLeon was 4 for 4 with 3 singles, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Key Highlights: JC Pacheco goes off at the plate, starts the game with a double to set the tone and continues torrid pace with a 4 for 4 day and 3 doubles, including a ground-rule double, missing a  home run by 5 feet. This was a hitting clinic by the entire team, as the lineup batted all 9 batters in the first and second inning. Power was provided yet again by Crismel De Leon, Jordan, Jake Santos and rest of the team followed through.

Section 2 Tournament Highlights:

Game 1 – July 22/23: Belleville versus Rutherford.

Final score: Belleville 7, Rutherford 2

• JC Pacheco was the winning pitcher with two strikeouts.  Jake Santos threw 35 pitches with 3 strikeouts and Crismel De Leon threw 17 pitches with 1 strikeout.
• Crismel De Leon was 3 for 3, hitting 1 double and 2 singles with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
• Jordan Rosario was 3 for 4, hitting 3 singles with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.
• Zachary Gemino was 3 for 4, hitting 3 singles with 1 run scored.
• Ryan Olmo 1 was 3 with 1 double and 1 RBI.
• Rafi Matos was 1 for 2 with a single and a key sacrifice play  with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.

Key Play:  Jake Santos pitches rain-delayed continuation game and cruises to victory, adding 3 Ks and navigating out of couple of trouble spots.  Crismel and Jordan stay hot at the plate, contributing 4 of 7 runs scored

Game 3 – July 26: Belleville versus Rutherford

Final Score Belleville 8, Rutherford 7, in extra innings.

• Jake Santos was the winning pitcher. He threw 85 pitches with 2 strikeouts. Jordan got the save, throwing 17 pitches in 1/3 inning and preventing the tying run on 3rd to score. Jake also was 3 for 3 with 3 singles and 3 runs scored.
• Jordan Rosario was 2 for 4 with 2 singles, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.
• Ryan Olmo was 3 for 3 with 1 double, 2 singles and 1 RBI.
• Nathaniel Perez was 1 for 3 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored.

Key Plays:  Clutch hit by Nathaniel Perez in the top of the sixth to help start the rally and put Belleville up by 3 runs, only to have Rutherford come back in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.  Belleville jumped back up a run with a double by Crismel DeLeon, scoring Jake Santos. The play of the game was a double play in the bottom of seventh inning turned in by Zachary Gemino at 2B, and Jordan Rosario came in to pitch and close the game by initiating  a ground-out to SS Crismel De Leon and put-out to first.

Game 4 – July 28: Belleville versus Livingston.

Final Score: Belleville 4, Livingston 3

• Ayden Carrero was the winning pitcher. He threw 82 pitches for a complete game with 3 Ks.
• Crismel DeLeon was 3 for 3 with 2 doubles, 1 single, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored.
• Jordan Rosario was 3 for 3 with 1 double, 2 singles and 1 RBI.
• Ayden Carrero was 1 for 2 with 2 runs scored.

Key Plays: Crismel’s double in the fourth inning scored a run, just missing a home run by hitting the top of the left field fence, immediately followed by a double off the center field fence by Jordan Rosario.  Both hits would have been home runs at Belleville’s home field. Defensive MVP was multiple put-outs by Peter Garcia in center field, sealing the game. Ayden Carrero continues his mastery to control the game and limiting hits/scoring opportunities throughout the game.

Game 5 – July 29: Sectional Championship Game:  Belleville versus Livingston.

Final Score: Livingston 4,  Belleville 3

• Crismel De Leon pitched masterfully through four innings before giving up a run in the fourth, followed by two unearned runs in the fifth to take the loss.

Key Plays: Down 4-0 in the top of the top of the sixth, Belleville’s “Never Give Up” mentality showed up again, with Ryan Olmo starting the inning with a double. Crismel then hit a single to score Ryan from second base, then Jordan Rosario hit a double to score Crismel making it 4-2.  With 1 out, Nathaniel Perez hit a double to score Crismel, making the score 4-3. Pass ball moves special runner for Nathaniel, Ariancy Paulino to third base. a fly out to right field makes it two outs. Zachary Gemino battles for a 9-pitch walk. The tying runner on third and go-ahead runner on 1st, Mike Ortiz hits a ground ball between first and second base. The  first baseman fields the ball and beats Mike Ortiz to the base which ended the game. This was a hard-fought game and the Belleville boys never gave up!!!

“Hats off to Livingston, we played them five times in a two-and-a-half week period, and the last two games were decided by one run,” said Belleville Manager Jay Gemino. “Wish them well in the states, but we will see them again next year and we’ll put in the work in the offseason to make a run at them next year!!”

  Belleville Little League