Frederick Hustlers

The Frederick Hustlers and Edge Baseball out of Chambersburg, PA collided Wednesday at Governor Thomas Johnson High School and the result was a great evening of baseball. The Hustlers prevailed in a 2-1 squeaker but the storyline was one of outstanding pitching and defense for both teams. “That was refreshing to see and just what we needed before heading down to North Carolina this weekend. Seldom do you see so many good arms in a 14U baseball game,” noted Coach Main. The Hustlers threw a different pitcher in every inning of the seven inning affair while Edge used four. Nick DeLisi, Matt Cunningham, Matt Kulikowski, Dalton Williams, Colby Patterson, Dustin Isanogle and Tyler Prather were all effective. Each team only had three hits with Kulikowski, Prather and Kyle Sanger recording singles for the Hustlers.

The Hustlers are back in action this weekend in North Carolina for the Perfect Game Super25 14U Super Qualifier. All games are available via GameChanger.

The 14U Hustlers traveled to Richmond, VA for the Perfect Game 2022 Grads Richmond Spring Championship and dropped two close Saturday games before seeing the tournament cancelled because of heavy rain. The proverbial alarm clock misfired for Saturday’s 8:00am game. Nick DeLisi got the start on the mound and faced five batters and never got an out. Matt Kulikowski came in and did his job but the Hustlers found themselves playing from behind. Team Elite MVP scored five runs to take a 5-0 lead. Matt Cunningham started the third but also struggled with his control. Ryan Bennett rescued Cunningham in the 3rd and pitched a scoreless 4th. Meanwhile, the Hustlers found life and got back in it with five of their own in the bottom of the 3rd. Dustin Isanogle singled and Colby Patterson reached safely on a sacrifice bunt. After a couple of misplayed balls, Gabe Torres ripped a double to deep left and DeLisi followed with an RBI single. The game was tied going into the final frame when Tyler Prather struggled on the hill - allowing three consecutive batters to reach safely.  Prather hit a batter, and allowed a single and a walk. Two of those runners ended up scoring for the eventual 7-5 final score. The Hustlers outhit Team Elite MVP 8-2; Kulikowski and DeLisi each had two hits.

The Hustlers played inspired baseball in game two against a very good VA Breeze Elite squad. Cunningham got the ball and was spectacular on the mound. He tossed five shutout innings before reaching his pitch count. He only allowed two hits and recorded four strikeouts. The Hustlers pushed across a run in the fourth when DeLisi, Adam Dellamura and Torres singled consecutively. Kulikowski got the ball in the sixth but couldn’t find his rhythm and walked two straight batters. Isanogle entered and was impressive. The Hustlers escaped a potentially devastating inning with a tied, 1-1 game. After failing to score in the top of the seventh, Isanogle recorded two outs before a walk, balk and single did the good guys in. The Hustlers scratched out five hits – two by DeLisi and one each by Kulikowski, Dellamura and Torres.

“We (coaching staff) were definitely disappointed with the effort in game one but we challenged some kids and they did what good players do – they stepped up and played with energy and purpose, and that’s always good to see,” noted Coach Main.

The Frederick Hustlers knocked off the rust and swept the Central Penn Renegades in the opening weekend of baseball Saturday at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. Nick DeLisi, Matt Kulikowski and Ryan Bennett combined for a perfect game in a 14-0 win shortened by the run-rule. DeLisi and Kulikowski each tossed two innings with two strikeouts, and Bennett pitched a solid fifth with one strikeout. The Hustlers scored eight runs in the first inning to eliminate any question in this one. The big hits were Kulikowski’s bases loaded, two-run double, Tyler Prather two-RBI single, and Colby Patterson's laced, two-run double. The Hustlers recorded nine hits in their four innings of offense. Adam Dellamura, Dustin Isanogle, Kulikowski, Prather, Gabe Torres, DeLisi, Jack Putnam, Colby Patterson and Ryan Bennett each had a hit.

Game two was more of the same. Matt Cunningham, Prather and Torres shared the pitching duties and all were effective. Isanogle, Patterson and Kyle Sanger each had two hits in the eleven hit attack. Kulikowski tripled and Prather doubled. Cunningham, Torres, and DeLisi each singled.

“It was good to get back on the field but we have plenty to work on. It wasn’t as if we played well. The other team was just a little outmanned,” noted Coach Main.

The Hustlers host the Frederick American Junior Legion team on Thursday, May 31, 6:00pm, at Governor Thomas Johnson High School before travelling to Richmond, VA on the weekend (June 1-3) for the Perfect Game 2022 Grads Spring Championship.

Irony found its way into 8U baseball last night in Sykesville. Playing flawless baseball defensively for five innings and taking a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth, it was the defense that let down the young Hustlers and allowed the Sykesville Cyclones to escape with a heartbreaking 5-4 win. Four errors by four different players doomed the black and gold, and scarred what was otherwise an outstanding evening of baseball. “We’ve been on both sides of that last inning collapse so while it stings a little, I’m proud of the plays that we made throughout the game,” noted Coach Main. It started in the first when Cooper Bell ran down a fly ball in center field. Then in the third with two runners on and two outs, RJ Dermady snagged a line drive missile at second that was headed to the gap for extra bases. The Cyclones threatened again in the fourth and had the bases loaded with two outs when Carter Jackson knocked down a scorching liner and got the force at third. Evin Kloster followed with his own highlight reel play. With the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, Kloster fielded a slow roller at third and with his momentum coming forward, threw a dart to Cody Smith at the plate for the final out of the inning. Unfortunately, it was the routine plays in the bottom of the sixth that caused the Hustlers problems.

Smith, Jackson and Bell shared the pitching duties and all pitched well. Jackson, Kloster and Smith each had two hits. Clay Hamilton doubled in the second.

The 9U Hustlers traveled to the Ripken Experience in Aberdeen to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend.

Saturday’s early game pitted the Hustlers against the Delaware Valley Senators (Philadelphia, PA). The first six innings proved to be a pitcher’s duel between the Senators and Hustlers aces. The Hustlers only allowed one hit through the first six behind the pitching of Damon Baker and Jackson Raymond. With the game knotted at 2 runs a piece, the top of the seventh started with a runner on 2nd base and the Hustlers turn at the plate. The Hustlers moved Darian Gaskins, who had been placed on second to start the inning, to third on a hard-hit ball by Ryan Coulby. Jackson Raymond then brought Gaskins into score and moved Coulby to third with a well-placed bunt single. Alex Simmons scorched a ball down the third base line scoring Coulby and advancing Raymond to 3rd. Grady Beaver hit a 1-0 pitch into centerfield scoring both Raymond and Simmons. It only took Beaver three pitches into Luke Wood’s at bat to score with some excellent baserunning. After drawing a walk, Wood was also able to steal his way around the bases bringing the score to 8-2. The Hustlers were able to close out the home half of the 7th by only allowing 4 batters to the plate on their way to an 8-3 victory.

In the late game on Saturday, the Hustlers squared off against the South Jersey Warriors (Swedesboro, NJ). Again, the Hustlers pitchers were in top form. Chase Jones and Mickey Cammarata combined to allow just 3 hits over 4-1/2 innings while allowing no runs. The Hustlers defense was also solid converting on 11 out of 13 groundballs into outs. The Hustlers needed only four trips to the plate to score 12 runs turning away the Warriors by the run rule. Ryan Coulby and Alex Simmons both had multiple hits to lead the way. Damon Baker and Ryan Coulby both homered for the Hustlers.

Sunday found the Hustlers earning the #2 seed and a quarterfinal matchup with the Medford Renegades (Medford, NJ). After allowing an unearned run in the first, the Hustlers offense took over. By the end of the 4th, the Hustlers held a commanding 11-6 lead on their way to a 14-9 victory. Jackson Raymond and Damon Baker handled the pitching duties holding the Renegades in check combining to strike out 10, walking none, and only allowing 6 earned runs. Damon Baker and Alex Simmons led the Hustlers with two hits each. Ryan Coulby and Jackson Raymond both homered for the Hustlers.

The Hustlers continued their hot play in their semifinal pairing against #3 seeded Eagle Baseball Club (Camp Hill, PA) putting crooked numbers up in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th innings en route to a 13-7 victory and a trip to the championship game. Chase Jones and Mickey Cammarata worked efficiently on the mound for the Hustlers while the defense was steady only committing one error. Chase Jones and Darian Gaskins collected three hits each while Grady Beaver had a pair of hits as well.

In the final, the Hustlers faced off against a formidable Baserats Baseball (Staten Island, NY) team. Mickey Cammarata, Damon Baker, Chase Jones, and Colton Facine shared pitching duties for the Hustlers. Damon Baker collected the Hustlers only hit against the Baserats ace, John Gano, who went the distance for the Baserats. While the Hustlers came up short in the end, they fought until the final out and showed tremendous growth as a team. “Nothing excites me more than to see our team executing things in games that we work on in practice. We have a great group of coachable players and that, more than anything else, encourages me about this team’s potential.” Noted Coach Raymond following a long Mother’s Day in Aberdeen.