Frederick Hustlers

The 14U Frederick Hustlers let one get away. Playing in the Championship game of the Ripken Highlight Reel tournament, the Hustlers held what seemed to be a commanding 4-0 lead heading into the fifth inning. The Hustlers, the #1 seed after pool play on Friday and Saturday, had pitched and pounded their way to the title game. Adam Dellamura took the ball and was sensational. Coming off an arm injury in the early spring, Dellamura was limited to 70 pitches and he pitched scoreless baseball for four innings before hitting his pitch count. The Hustlers went to the pen in the fifth for nine outs and this time, things didn’t work out. Two walks, a hit batter and three hits gave the solid NY Storm squad life and when the inning was over, the four run lead was down to one. The Storm scored three more in the sixth on a single, walk and a double and the Hustlers quickly found themselves behind 6-4. Showing some grit of their own, the Hustlers answered with two runs in the bottom half to tie the game at six. Unfortunately, things were not meant to be as the squad from Long Island New York scored four times in the seventh to capture the Championship. The Hustlers beat the NY Hurricanes 6-4 Friday night behind four strong innings from Nick DeLisi and then dismantled the NJ Readhawks Elite behind a complete game from Tyler Prather 12-1 on Saturday morning. The Hustlers faced the Hurricane team once again Sunday afternoon in the semifinals and this time, the Black and Gold put it all together. Matt Cunningham pitched a complete game two-hitter with three strikeouts.

Offensively, Matt Kulikowski was unconscious at the plate. Kulikowski was 10-13 with three triples and two doubles. “That was fun to watch. Fastball, curveball – it didn’t matter. More importantly, he was hitting the ball to all fields. He’s a strong kid with a big upside,” noted Coach Main. Matt Cunningham also had a great tournament. Cunningham was 8-11 (.727) with three triples and a double. Jack Putnam was 5-9 (.556) with a home run, while Gabe Torres was 3-7 (.429), DeLisi was 4-11 (.364) and Dustin Isanogle was 4-12 (.333).

The Hustlers head to Millersville University for the Elite Baseball Summer Blast this coming weekend.

The 12U Hustlers traveled to Hershey to compete in the Future Stars Father’s Day tournament this past weekend. Game one had the Hustlers squared up against Eagle Baseball Club. The Hustlers pounded 13 hits in 3 innings and went on to win game via mercy rule by score of 11-0. Riley Smith hit two home runs and drove in 7 for the Hustlers. Carlos Caraballo had 3 hits, while Ryan Maxey had 2 hits. Fredy Diaz and Ryan Jones each doubled. Aidan Simmons and Fredy Diaz pitched great to shutdown EBC. Game 2 had the Hustlers facing a good Maryland Stars and Stripes team, a team the Hustlers struggled with back in April down in Richmond, VA. However, this time the Hustler bats took over with 15 hits in 3 innings, as the Hustlers again won game via mercy rule by score of 15-0. Aiden Dubetsky, Ryan Jones, Riley Smith, Fredy Diaz, Carlos Caraballo, and Andrew Raymond each had 2 hits. Dubetsky doubled twice while Jones, Riley Smith, Diaz, Ryan Maxey, and Andrew Raymond each doubled once. Smith and Jaxson Wood each hit home runs in the game. Caraballo pitched 3 shutout innings for the good guys. Game 3 was more of the same for the Hustlers, as the Hustler bats remained on fire with 16 hits, and a 23-3 drubbing of the Ridgely Raptors. Riley Smith had 3 hits, while Ryan Jones, Carlos Caraballo, Camren Baker, and Aiden Simmons each had 2 hits. Aiden Dubetsky doubled twice, while Smith doubled once. Andrew Raymond and Camren Baker shutdown the Raptors on the mound. The Semi-final game had the Hustlers facing the Virginia Stars. The Hustler bats slowed a little in this game, but they still mustered out 10 hits and went on to beat the Stars by a score of 10-1. Ryan Maxey, Carlos Caraballo, and Jaxson Wood each had 2 hits to lead the way. Ryan Maxey hit a Home Run, while Jones, Baker, and Wood each doubled. Riley Smith and Jaxson Wood pitched very well, limiting the Stars to 3 hits. The Championship game featured the Hustlers and the Harleysville Hornets. The Hornets had to beat a very good Mid State Mavericks team to get here. The Hustler bats just remained on fire, and left little doubt in this one as the Hustlers went on to win the championship game by a score of 13-3. Aiden Dubetsky led the way with 3 hits, while Ryan Jones, Riley Smith, and Carlos Caraballo each had 2 hits. Dubetsky, Jones, Smith, Fredy Diaz, Caraballo, and Jaxson Wood each doubled. Ryan Maxey pitched 3 great innings on mound, and Ryan Jones finished up the last inning. The Hustlers over the 5 games held a team batting average of .593 for the tournament, and outscored their opponents by a score of 72-7. The Hustlers pitching was awesome for the weekend, and the defense committed only 1 error the entire weekend.

The 14U Frederick Hustlers completed a Saturday sweep with convincing wins over the Gettysburg Warhawks and Cumberland Post 13 Junior Legion at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. Matt Cunningham continued to show why he’s one of the best at his age group with a dominant, 69-pitch performance in an 8-0 win over Cumberland. Cunningham tossed a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks. He also helped himself at the plate with a 2-2 game that included a single, double, walk and two RBIs. Adam Dellamura and Jack Putnam chipped in with two hits each.

The opener was equally impressive as the Hustlers downed the Gettysburg Warhawks 15-1 in a game shortened by the run-rule. Tyler Prather pitched four innings and surrendered one run on three hits. Prather walked six and struck out six. Dustin Isanogle pitched a clean fifth inning in relief. Colby Patterson, Isanogle, Matt Kulikowski and Gabe Torres all had two hits. Isanogle had four RBIs and Kulikowski had two. Cunningham added a two-run double.

The Hustlers, sporting a 9-3 record, are at Ripken this coming weekend for the Highlight Reel tournament.

Strong pitching and defense carried the 14U Frederick Hustlers to victory Wednesday evening at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. Seven different pitchers tossed an inning and limited the KMS Baseball Academy to one hit with nine strikeouts in a 4-0 victory. Tyler Prather, Matt Cunningham, Matt Kulikowski, Gabe Torres, Dustin Isanogle, Colby Patterson and Ryan Bennett were all effective. Patterson led the home team with two hits while Kulikowski chipped in with a run-scoring laser to right center. Dalton Williams had the only other Hustler hit. The win improves the Hustlers record to 7-3.

The Hustlers play host Saturday to Cumberland Post 13 Junior Legion and the Gettysburg Warhawks in round-robin action. The Hustlers and Warhawks square off at 10:00am, followed by Cumberland and the Warhawks at 12:30pm. The Hustlers then play Cumberland at 3:00pm to close out the day. All games are scheduled to be played at Middletown High School.

The 14U Frederick Hustlers rode strong pitching performances from Nick DeLisi, Tyler Prather and Matt Cunningham to advance to the Final Four of the 22-team Perfect Game Super Qualifier in Pineville, NC over the weekend. DeLisi set the tone in game one with a two-hit, nine strikeout masterpiece against a good Virginia REVO team out of Hampton Roads, VA. The Hustlers held a slim 4-1 lead thru six before exploding for 11 runs in the final frame for a 15-1 victory. Matt Kulikowski and DeLisi had two hits while Cunningham and Gabe Torres each doubled. Tyler Prather got the ball in game two and limited the Elite 9 squad out of Rock Hill, SC to four hits in an 8-0 win shortened by the run rule. Prather pounded the strike zone and struck out four in five innings. Colby Patterson, Dustin Isanogle, DeLisi and Dalton Williams led the winners with two hits each. Saturday’s strong play allowed the Hustlers to grab the #1 seed and a first round bye heading into Championship Sunday. Sunday’s opener was a classic pitcher’s duel and the Hustlers Matt Cunningham was up to the challenge and didn’t disappoint. Cunningham tossed a two-hitter with two strikeouts against a very good Triple P Prospects team out of Norwood, NC. The Hustlers only mustered three hits of their own and the big one was a run-scoring double to the left field corner by Cunningham. DeLisi and Kyle Sanger had the only other hits. The Hustlers advanced to the semifinals where they ended up on the wrong end of an 11-4 game to the tournament champion South Charlotte Panthers. Colby Patterson and Dustin Isanogle split the pitching duties thru six innings and pitched well - keeping the Hustlers within striking distance. The Hustlers were only down 4-2 entering the 7th when the wheels came off the cart. Isanogle tired and opened the inning by walking the first two hitters before giving way to relief, and the Hustlers had nothing left in the pitching tank. The Panthers scored seven runs on three hits and four walks in the top of the seventh. The Hustlers showed grit and responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half. Sanger had a double and a single for the Hustlers while Williams tripled and Torres doubled. The South Charlotte Panthers beat the Canes 10-2 in the title game.

The 14U Hustlers return to action Wednesday, June 13 at Middletown High School against the Frederick American Junior Legion. First pitch is set for 6:00pm.