It was a much anticipated match-up as the top Teaneck team Clifton Pediatric Dental Group faced off against the Lobos of Bergenfield in a battle of the top seeds for the fourth and fifth grade TBO/BBO championship. The Lobos took an early lead as Shlomo Wenger let off the game with a walk and came around to score on an RBI from Shimon Segal. Clifton Pediatric answered right back in the bottom of the first as Daniel Eckman led off with a double, Yonatan Faber followed with a walk and both came around to score, giving Clifton Pediatric a 2-1 lead. The Lobos regained the lead in the top of the second through their patience as Ori Shloss, Chaim Ratzendorfer, Akiva Goldfisher, Uri Greenbaum and Yitzchak Wertentheil all walked, plating two runs for a 3-2 Lobos lead. The Lobos added another run in the top of the third as star pitcher Andi Richman got a base hit and was brought home on a single by Shloss. In the bottom of the third, Clifton Pediatric ties it up at four behind the hitting of Eckman and patience of Faber again as they both came around to score. Following a scoreless fourth inning, behind brilliant pitching from Segal and Eckman, the Lobos struck again in the top of the fifth as Wenger walked, stole second, advanced to third on a single from Richman and was brought home by Segal. In the bottom of the fifth, Clifton Pediatric threatened after Eckman’s third base hit of the day, but the Lobos got out of the jam as Akiva Hanauer fired a laser to first base to beat a runner on a slow grounder to third. The Lobos failed to score in the top of the sixth and entered the final frame nursing a one run lead. After a walk and a single, Clifton Pediatric had runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the last inning. But then star pitcher Segal struck out the next batter and then induced a pop up to Richman at shortstop. Richman caught the ball but collided with the third baseman knocking him off balance. Clifton Pediatric tried to catch the Lobos off guard and tag up to tie the game, but Richman made a perfect throw to Wenger who applied the tag for the final out giving the Lobos the championship win.
By JLNJ Sports Desk
