What do we do? “We play defense, play hard and swing the bats.” That was the cheer that began and ended every game and practice for the Teaneck 9U Fall Ball team. Using those fundamentals, the team successfully completed an undefeated season (9-0) last week beating Park Ridge 3-2 in the championship game at Clubhouse field.
Coaches Ofer Naor and Aaron Simon commented that this was a true team. “Every member of the team made a key play or got a key hit throughout the season. Every game was a team effort—especially since our team was built on great defense and pitching.” The team continuously worked on their defensive fundamentals at every practice and it showed throughout the season. The outfield of Mitchell Stamler, Corey Cyrulnik, Max Boim, Jordan Greenstein and Sammy Strulowitz regularly held the opposing team to singles by stopping the ball and immediately hitting the cut off man.
In addition, teams who tested the outfield were regularly thrown out. Likewise, the infield was rock solid making plays consistently that other teams in the league did not make. Third baseman Dovid Last, shortstop Eitan Naor, shortstop/second baseman Sammy Gilbert, second baseman Sam Kantowitz and first baseman Jacob Kessler consistently made plays on grounders and pop ups. Then there was the pitching and catching (the battery) of catcher Naftali Simon with great pitch framing and the lock down rotation of Gilbert, Kantowitz and Naor.
All this was put to the test in the championship game which was a defensive battle. After both teams scored a run in the first, the pitching really locked in. Park Ridge took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, but Teaneck immediately fought back, scoring two in the bottom of the third on a single by Kantowitz. That was the end of the scoring as the Teaneck pitchers and defense locked down the rest of the game. Teaneck’s pitchers (Gilbert, Kantowitz and Naor) ended with 16 strikeouts in the game with Simon squeezing the last pitch as Naor got the swinging strike to end the game. Congratulations to the entire team! All the hard work paid off!
A special thank you to the TBO Board and leadership who gave the team an opportunity to play fall ball and ran a full recreational season during the summer for the whole town! Being out there playing baseball provided all the players who played a great respite from the unusual lives we have all been living the last number of months. In addition, a special thank you to Micah Kaufman who provided an inspirational message to the boys mid-season—teaching them about hard work and effort.
