In American Legion baseball, West Windsor-Plainsboro is making noise with a record of 9-3 heading into weekend play at Bordentown on Friday, July 6 at 5:45 p.m. and against Hightstown on Saturday, July 7, at 11 a.m.
WW-P’s Legion team consists of standouts up to 19 years old who decided to become true “Boys of Summer,” playing a 22-game schedule with five teams making the district playoffs in the last week of July.
Don Hutchinson, West Windsor-Plainsboro manager for 12 years, said that the team has gotten off to its 10-3 start thanks in part to right-handed pitcher Chris Campbell, a 2012 graduate of South who began with three straight pitching wins.
Campbell also earned a save in West Windsor’s 5-3 win over Hopewell on June 26, as the team avenged an earlier defeat.
Campbell has also played first base this season as Hutchinson often uses the position for pitchers to conserve their arms and prevent injuries. “Chris started playing first base for us last year, and he did really well. This year he had an injury carried over from the high school season, and that allowed him to swing a bat and ease himself into the lineup. At first base, you don’t have to worry about making stressful throws,” he said.
Another South graduate, Ben Ruta, is WW-P’s shortstop and number three hitter — he will play baseball at Wagner College in the fall. Hutchinson said Ruta has mastered shortstop, “one of the more difficult positions.” Ruta, who played on South’s varsity baseball team for three years, is also the best hitter in the lineup.
Ruta played Legion baseball after his sophomore year but played travel baseball last year.
From High School North, the Knights’ leading hitter in 2012, Casey Litwack, plays right field and bats fourth for the Legion team. Hutchinson said in addition to his baseball ability, Litwack is an excellent ice hockey player who will be continuing athletics in college.
At North Litwack played center field, but for the Legion team he moved to right so that Joe Jensen could take the center field spot. Jensen is one of two 19-year-olds who went to college but decided to come back to play Legion baseball this year. Brendan O’Leary, who played his high school baseball at Notre Dame, plays left field.
Hutchinson said the trio provides leadership and helps the team have “a really solid and strong outfield on defense.”
Newcomers to the team this season include Mike Mazzeo, who played shortstop for North and third base for the Legion team, and Jeff Paskewitz, a left-handed pitcher who played some first base, similar to Campbell. Paskewitz will be a senior at South in the fall.
“Jeff’s playing Legion ball for the first time, and he’s made a major contribution to the team, even though he broke his thumb when he got hit by a line drive in the Allentown game,” Hutchinson said.
Two 15-year-olds who also play on Babe Ruth teams have made their debuts with the Legion squad this year: Sean O’Brien, a right-handed pitcher from South, and Christian Waters, another righthander who Hutchinson says had a really good year for North.
Hutchinson says the toughest competition in American Legion each year usually comes from Hamilton or Bordentown. But this year’s team gives him confidence. That confidence was rewarded July 3, when Hutchinson’s squad fought back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat North Hamilton, 3-2. Waters pitched well for WW-P, but reliver Ryan Dontas got credit for the win as WW-P tied the game in the top of the fifth inning and went ahead in the sixth on a fielder’s choice after singles by Joe Bensky and Campbell.
During a marquee game against Ewing at Waterfront Park on July 2, WW-P fell behind by seven runs in the second inning but battled back with six runs in the bottom half of the inning. WW-P eventually lost to Ewing, 10-7. Just as the decision to play during summer months proves, the players’ dedication to the game never ends.
#b#WW Little League#/b#
Ryan Strype’s two home runs and six RBIs were the keys to West Windsor’s 7-1 victory over Sunnybrae in the Little League District 12 tournament. David Philbin pitched for the win in the June 24 game at RJ Ward Field in West Windsor. The victory meant the team advanced to face Bordentown.
#b#WW Softball#/b#
West Windsor made it to the title game of the District 12 Little League 12-year-old tournament, losing the championship game 11-1 to Robbinsville on June 27. West Windsor scored its only run on a single by Jackie Markisz.
Julia Revock’s pitching led the West Windsor 11s to a 14-2 victory over New Egypt-Bordentown June 20 in an elimination game. Manager Harlan Greenman awarded Revock a game ball for her 13-strikeout performance.
#b#CYO Basketball#/b#
In the 14-team Mercer County Boys’ Basketball League West Windsor-Plainsboro South, led by head coach Bob Schurtz, was one of the two best teams in the league last year along with Colonial Valley Conference rival Notre Dame. Four games are played most Monday and Wednesday nights at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m. at WW-P South through the regular season ending July 18. The championship is July 25.
WWP-S plays Westampton Tech at 6 p.m. on July 9, Princeton Day at 6 p.m. on July 11 and Notre Dame at 9 p.m. on July 11. WWP-N plays Delran at 8 p.m on July 9.
