In a Sunday evening matchup at Clubhouse, Teaneck 11U team showcased their fighting spirit against a tough Rutherford squad. The game was a pitchers’ duel through the first three innings, with both teams’ defenses holding strong. Aiden Merkin pitched two scoreless innings to start the game, and Teaneck’s defense shined with a great play by 3B Caleb Kim with a barehanded pickup of grounder and throw to outstretched 1B Nathan Demby. Zevy Bluman gave Teaneck an offensive spark with a leadoff triple in the first inning, but Rutherford’s strong defense kept Teaneck off of the board. Rutherford’s outfielders made impressive diving catches of deep hits from Kim and Ezra Ashkenas.
The deadlock was finally broken in the top of the fourth when Rutherford managed to push across a run, taking a 1-0 lead. Teaneck’s battled back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Facing a one-run deficit, Merkin turned his walk into a triple with two stolen bases. Merkin dramatically stole home plate to even the score at 1-1, energizing the fans and setting the stage for a dramatic finish. However, Rutherford responded emphatically in the top of the sixth, plating two runs to take a 3-1 lead. Highlights for Teaneck included catcher Merkin who shut down Rutherford on the basepaths. Merkin ended the fifth inning by throwing out a runner attempting to steal second base and ended the sixth inning by throwing out a runner attempting to steal third base. Pitchers Merkin, Bluman and Demby recorded 12 strikeouts, only giving up four hits. The team also had hits from Bluman, Binyamin Epstein, Elisha Finkelstein and Ashkenas. Despite the 3-1 loss, Teaneck’s players showed tremendous grit and spirit in a hard fought battle.
As the season progresses, the Teaneck 11U team looks forward to building on the positives from this game. With their unwavering spirit and growing skills, these young athletes continue to make their community proud both on and off the field. Teaneck 11U is in second place in the standings at 2-1, behind perennial favorite Cresskill. The team hosts NV Norsemen at Clubhouse on Sunday, September 29 at 5:00 p.m. Come out and cheer on the boys!
The team, coaches and parents want to extend their gratitude to the Teaneck Department of Public Works for their quick action in ensuring the game could proceed as scheduled. Township Manager Jaclyn Hashmat and Superintendent of Public Works Michael Sermabekian were amazing and dispatched a team on Friday afternoon to fix the lights at Clubhouse. We are so grateful and they went above and beyond to ensure that the team will enjoy their evening practices and games under the lights!
