And then the lights went out … literally.
Teaneck TBO 10U’s lights-out pitching shined the brightest in a one-hit, 10-0 victory over visiting Ridgewood and a no-hit, 23-0 victory over host Washington Township. With the victories, Teaneck brings their record to 7-0 to remain the only undefeated team in Northeast Bergen All-Stars (NEBAS) league. The victories had it all—a combined no-hitter by pitchers Avi Pasternak, David Siev, Caleb Block and David Wilbur; a 4-4 batting cycle performance and two home runs by Wilbur; a post-game birthday celebrations for Caleb Block and Wilbur; and on Thursday night, with two outs in the bottom of the third inning, the lights did go out at Clubhouse resulting in a 15-minute mid-game delay.
Teaneck hosted Ridgewood on Thursday night at Clubhouse and starting pitcher Pasternak immediately set the tone by striking out the top of the order on 10 pitches—lights out. Teaneck opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a Wilbur inside-the-park home run that drove in Shai Zaretsky to bring the score to 2-0. Pasternak struck out two more batters in the second inning and was supported by third baseman Siev’s great fielding of a hard-hit ground ball and throw out to beat the Ridgewood runner at first base—lights out. Teaneck added seven more runs in the second inning highlighted by RBIs by Zaretsky, Pasternak, Siev, Wilbur and Caleb Block, with Nate Tenzer and Aiden Merkin crossing the plate. In a show of sportsmanship, Teaneck agreed to end the inning with one out and seven runs scored. Siev came in to pitch the third inning and struck out the side—lights out. Teaneck added their 10th and final run in the bottom of the third as a Wilbur RBI double drove in Nathan Demby. Demby stole three bases and continued to show his toughness reaching base on his 3rd hit-by-pitch in 5 plate appearances on the season. Teaneck then turned to relief pitchers Ezra Block and Elan Rabbani who added five more strikeouts to bring the team strikeout total to 13 and close out the 1-hit victory—lights out.
Teaneck traveled to Washington Township on Sunday morning ready to put the lights out again. The Teaneck batters would not let the combined nine-strikeout no-hitter be the only highlight of the day. Wilbur went four for four on the day with six RBIs, batting for the cycle with an inside-the-park home run in the first inning, a double and a triple in the second and a single in the third. Teaneck jumped out to a 4-0 lead as Ezra Block added an RBI line drive single and Pasternak stole home plate. Teaneck’s pitching and defense stifled the Falcons as their first batter attempted a bunt single that first baseman Wilbur fielded and made the successful throw to second baseman Elan Rabbani who ran over to cover first base. Siev added another great ground ball put out from third base to close out the inning. It would be all Teaneck from there as they would add seven runs in the second inning off of RBIs from Ezra Block, Nate Tenzer and Wilbur. Teaneck added seven more runs in the third inning with RBIs from Gavi Yaros, Noam Rabbani, Nate Tenzer, Wilbur, Siev and Merkin. Teaneck rounded out the scoring with five more runs in the fourth inning with RBIs from Benjamin Chetrit, Gideon Apter, Noam Rabbani, Caleb Block and Nate Tenzer.
By Coach Jason Demby
