It was a season of constant improvement for the Teaneck TBO 10U baseball team. After completing a 3-4-1 regular season, Teaneck TBO entered the playoffs as the #4 seed and hosted #5 seed NV Norsemen at the friendly confines of Clubhouse Field. It was revenge time as NV (Northern Valley) Norsemen had defeated Teaneck TBO in three consecutive games, including a playoff game to end Teaneck’s summer season. With the stands full on a perfect fall evening, Teaneck TBO 10U baseball team showed up in its first playoff game to defeat NV Norsemen 5-2 to advance to the Northeast Bergen All-Stars (NEBAS) American Division Semifinal game.
The entire team—Gideon Apter, Zevy Bluman, Nathan Demby, Elisha Finkelstein, Josh Gelbtuch, Raphi Greenspan, Noah Kaufthal, Aiden Merkin, Simon Rauch, Akiva Weinstein—have made significant contributions at the plate, in the field and on the mound. Starting pitcher Merkin took the mound with his left-handed heat, recording the first six outs with five strikeouts. Teaneck TBO jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with consecutive hits from Bluman, an RBI single from Merkin and then a Greenspan smash to left field to bring Merkin home. Speed on the basepaths would be a theme for Teaneck TBO as they recorded a season high 16 stolen bases on the night—Bluman (5), Merkin (3), Gelbtuch (3), Greenspan (3), Demby (2).
NV Norsemen fought back to bring the score to 2-1 in the third inning with two hits and aggressive baserunning. Aggressive baserunning would cost NV Norsemen as two outs in the third inning came on failed attempts to steal home plate. Catcher Weinstein forced a runner out of the baselines at home to record the first out and the third inning ended with an amazing play as pitcher Gelbtuch and third baseman Merkin caught a player in a rundown during an attempted steal of home plate. In response to the Norsemen threat, in the bottom of the third, Bluman started the inning with a walk and advanced to third base with two stolen bases. Team hitting leader Greenspan came through at the plate again to drive Bluman home in a fielder’s choice to bring the score to 3-1. Relief pitcher Gelbtuch was lights out in the fourth inning as he struck out the side. Closing pitcher Nathan Demby came in for the fifth inning, but NV Norsemen was not done as they loaded the bases on walks. Demby battled back with two strikeouts and the inning ended as catcher Merkin tagged out a Norsemen runner attempting to steal home on a passed ball. The Teaneck TBO crowd roared as the team held on to a 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the fifth. Teaneck TBO extended it’s lead to 5-2 with hits and aggressive baserunning with a Bluman single, a Merkin RBI single and a Greenspan RBI single. With victory in sight, Demby took the mound for the top of the sixth to strike out the first two batters. As the umpire called out the final strike for Demby’s fifth strikeout of the game, the team sprinted and piled on Demby in celebration!
Teaneck TBO 10U travels to face #1 seed Cresskill at Crestron Field. Come out and support the boys as they battle for the NEBAS championship!
