The 2016 Teaneck TBO 8U summer baseball travel team had a summer they will remember forever. After completing the rigorous 12 game regular season schedule, the team was ready to make a strong showing in the playoffs. Teaneck went 6-6 during the regular season, including three heartbreaking losses in the bottom of the sixth (last) inning after having a lead late in all three of those away games. The long drive home following those tough defeats made this team stronger and determined to play better in the playoffs. Although some teams would have been devastated after losing such heartbreaking games, this team was different. Composed of resilient, mentally tough and gritty ball players, the team was ready to take the disappointment from those regular season losses and use it as a source of inspiration and motivation to make a playoff run. It would not be easy, however, as the team would have to play without outfielder Eitan Goldwasser and infielder Calvin Rose, both recovering from injuries.
After finishing with the overall second seed in the playoffs, Teaneck hosted a first-round matchup against Ramsey Blue. On a scorching hot Sunday morning at Clubhouse, Teaneck took the field looking to avenge two losses earlier in the season to Ramsey Blue, including one of the aforementioned last inning losses just one week prior.
Teaneck took an early 1-0 lead. In the top of the second inning, with Ramsey Blue threatening, the defensive play of the game occurred. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Ramsey
Blue batter laced a shot to right field. Right fielder Noam Grossman chased down the ball and made a great relay to second baseman Daniel Eckman, who turned and fired a bullet throw to catcher Jacob Fineman. Fineman caught the throw, blocked the plate and tagged the baserunner trying to score from first base for the final out of the 3rd inning, limiting the damage to 2-1. Ramsey Blue added another run in the top of the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. Teaneck, as they had done all season long, came right back in the bottom of the third inning. Following a leadoff walk to Ben Chesner, Daniel Eckman hit an inside the park Little League homerun to tie the game at 3-3. The confidence on the team was high again, as they knocked Ramsey Blue’s best pitcher out of the game.
Ramsey Blue responded by scoring three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 6 – 3 lead. It was time for Teaneck to once again mount a comeback, and they wasted no time doing so in the bottom of the fourth inning. Outfielder Yonatan Faber lead off with a single, followed by consecutive doubles by Ben Chesner and Daniel Eckman to cut the lead to 6-5. After a strikeout, starting pitcher Avi Winslow laced a double to left field, and later scored on a two-out double by Noam Grossman, allowing Teaneck to once again take the lead, 7-6, entering the fifth inning. Relief pitcher Benzion Keiser shut down the Ramsey Blue batters in the fifth and sixth innings, not allowing any more runs, and was helped by catcher Zachary Cohen throwing out a runner trying to steal second base. Teaneck added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and escaped with a 9-6 victory. This solid win propelled Teaneck into the semi-finals two nights later, where they would face the number three seed Ramsey Gold. The game would be played at the neutral field of Ramsey as they were hosting the tournament.
With only two days rest, the boys were eager to get back on the field. They displayed a hitting and fielding exhibition, playing their overall best performance of the year when it counted the most. As the home team, Teaneck took their lead from their starting pitcher, Avi Winslow, who came out throwing smoke and gave up no hits in three innings pitched. He struck out the first two batters he faced and induced the third batter to hit a weak grounder back to him for the final out of the inning. Teaneck was ready to attack the Ramsey Gold pitcher early, with hits up and down the lineup. In the bottom of the second inning, Teaneck was leading 1-0 when the at-bat of the game – perhaps the playoffs – took place. With two outs and the bases loaded, outfielder Jesse Reinhart fouled off several tough pitches to eventually earn a well-deserved walk and an RBI. Centerfielder Ben Chesner, who was on base an astounding nine out of 10 times during the playoffs, followed with a single, scoring two more runs and putting Teaneck up 4-0 before a stunned Ramsey crowd. The game continued with the same score until the fourth inning, when once again Teaneck attacked the Ramsey Gold relief pitcher and scored another four runs, taking a commanding 8-0 lead. The defensive highlight of the game was an unassisted double play at first base by Benzion Keiser. Teaneck collected their first shutout of the season with a dominating 8-0 victory, which now sent them to the championship game the following night, where they would face the number one seed Clifton.
Coaches Ari Eckman and Micah Kaufman felt pretty confident about this championship matchup, as earlier in the season Teaneck went to Clifton and beat them 12 – 9 in a high-scoring affair. That game saw several walks by Teaneck pitching. Over the last several weeks, however, the Teaneck fielding had improved significantly, as had their pitching. The concern was whether the Teaneck bats, which had been alive the last few games, would remain hot against the strong Clifton pitching. The main concern for the coaches, however, was who would be the starting pitcher for the biggest game of the year, as the team would be playing their third game in four days. After consulting with team physician, Dr. James Andrews, the coaches were assured that Avi Winslow could handle three more innings in the championship game without causing permanent damage to his right arm. That was all the coaches needed to hear, along with approval from Winslow’s father, to send him out to the mound.
It was a beautiful environment in which to play baseball on a lovely Wednesday evening in Ramsey, in front of a large crowd. With the national anthem being played in the background as the players were introduced by the public announcer, the kids quickly realized that this would be a championship game to remember. As Clifton was the home team with the number one seed, it was important for Teaneck to score first, and they didn’t waste any time doing just that. Ben Chesner led off the game with a double to left field, followed by a single by Daniel Eckman. Shortstop Shia Forgash followed with a single, and scored on a double by Avi Winslow. Jonathan Milgrom then walked. With two outs, Yonatan Faber smashed a fastball to deep left field, scoring Winslow and Milgrom and giving Teaneck a 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the first inning. This was more than enough for Avi Winslow on the mound, who continued to throw strike after strike, retiring the overwhelmed Clifton batters. In nine innings of pitching in four days, Winslow gave up only three runs, keeping his team in every single playoff game.
Teaneck scored two runs in the top of the third inning to take a 7-0 lead. Perhaps some of the fans in the stands thought the game was over, but the Teaneck players and coaches knew full well that a Clifton rally was imminent, and Clifton didn’t disappoint. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Clifton started to find holes in the Teaneck defense and scored four runs. With the bases loaded with only one out, third baseman Jonathan Milgrom alertly picked up a little blooper down the third base line and touched home plate, preventing the fifth run from scoring. Benzion Keiser struck out the next Clifton batter on a 3-2 count, keeping the score 7-4.
As the Teaneck players came back to the dugout a little dejected after giving up those four runs, the coaches stressed how incredible it was that they had a three run lead going into the final inning. Championships would never be given to the players, they had to take full control to win it. Shia Forgash led off the top of the sixth inning with an infield hit and went to second on a throwing error. He stole third base, but was unable to score on a little dribbler in front of home plate. A walk loaded the bases and then the Clifton pitcher struck out the next two Teaneck batters. Zachary Cohen was then hit by an inside pitch, and a collective sigh of relief occurred when he was ok. As he walked to first base, Forgash crossed the plate, giving Teaneck an insurance run, and an 8-4 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning. Clifton’s first batter hit a hard shot to shortstop, but Forgash made a nice stop and fired a bullet to first base to get the first out of the inning. Only two outs to go.
After a walk, the next two Clifton batters struck out and pandemonium occurred in Ramsey. The boys piled onto each other with huge smiles on their faces as they had completed their dream of winning the championship. Three games in four days of some of the best baseball they had played all summer long resulted in a very well deserved championship season. After all their hard work, and playing ball on so many very hot and sunny days, this group of young boys came together to become a team and make great memories that would surely stay with them for a long time. They can now, and forever, be referred to as champions.
A special thank you from the coaches and players to the parents who drove their kids to the various games, practices and batting cages during the course of the summer. The boys now all have a championship trophy to remind them of the amazing summer of 2016.
