Easton Tournament Champs!

The Militia Park Baseball Complex in Easton is enough to make any Needham baseball fan a little jealous: five diamonds, beautifully groomed and lined, bordered by groves of trees for a little shade, a couple of batting cages, a concession stand. It was all quite a pleasure to behold.

But beholding is not what baseball diamonds are for, and the Needham Rockets did not come all the way down to Easton to look at the scenery. They came to take the new 2012 team out for a bit of a road test, to see how they were coming along at this early point in the season. They came to play some baseball.

And they would get their money's worth of baseball: five games in three days, beginning with a three-game round robin. If they emerged from their round robin pool with the best record, the Rockets would advance to the semifinal round, and then to the finals.

The Rockets drew the tournament hosts, Easton National, in Game 1 of the round robin on Thursday. Easton did not offer a very warm welcome, though, as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead after a difficult first inning in the field for the Rockets. National held the 5-0 lead through two innings until the Needham bats came alive and put up double digits in the third and fifth innings. With the bases loaded in the third, Steven Donovan singled on a hard liner to center field and set off an avalanche of Needham runs. Drew Siegenthaler doubled to drive in another, and, back-to-back, Eric Gage doubled to bring in two more. Tom Berkley launched a sac fly to center deep enough to bring in Gage. Matthew Daugherty singled and then scored on a line drive double to left off the bat of William Popper, who put a big time hurt on it. Joe Dateo singled and scored on a Jack Morgan shot up the middle. Aidan McGaugh singled to left, his first of three hits on the night, and there was no stopping the Rockets. When the dust finally cleared in the third, the Rockets had put up 10 runs to take command of the game once and for all.


Rockets hurlers had some breathing room but pitched it like a one-run game. Sean Greene threw two perfect innings, striking out three of six batters faced. He was in good command of a blazing fastball, and Easton could not get any decent metal on it. Matthew Daugherty, who earned MVP honors for the game, closed it out throwing two scoreless innings, and the Rockets had their first win in the books--a resounding 28-5 statement.


It was already 90 degrees on Saturday morning when Rockets starter William Popper threw his first pitch of Game 2. And the heat he brought just made matters worse for Upton, who sent three to the plate in the first only to be retired in order by the young righty. The second inning would not come as easily to Popper, though, as Upton loaded the bases before the Rockets were able to record an out. Popper kept his composure, and battled. He led his team out of the inning, getting one to pop up to the mound and two by way of the K. Upton got a couple across the plate to take an early 2-0 lead, but it wouldn't be nearly enough. Needham bats were even hotter than the noontime sun and produced 18 runs in the top of the third, making the Upton threat in the second a distant memory. Steven Donovan led off with a walk, Will Dorion cranked one into left field for a single, bringing home Donovan. Sean Greene singled next, and it was on! Matthew Dougherty hit a shot to left field, William Popper burned one up the middle, Donovan singled, and Greene singled for the second time in the inning. Eric Gage singled, Popper doubled, and Donovan, batting for the third time in the inning, rocketed a line drive deep to center for a triple. A dozen and a half runs later, the game was out of reach for Upton, and the Rockets would improve to 2-0 in their pool.


William Popper earned MVP honors for his heroic pitching when the game was close and for his effort at the plate to make sure it didn't stay close. Joe Dateo also logged two solid innings on the hill for the Rockets, yielding only one hit and putting up two zeroes to close it out.

A quick team lunch at an air conditioned 99 Restaurant (they deserve a little free product placement here), and the Rockets were back in action for Game 3.

The third and final round robin game was destined to be a completely different kind of contest--one in which Needham bats were relatively quiet and the Rockets relied more on defense and pitching. Starter Drew Siegenthaler, fresh off the diamond for his final AAU game of the season, arrived at Militia Park ready to fire bullets. He was in lock-down mode, hitting his spots and keeping West Bridgewater off the bases and off the scoreboard through four innings. He had great support behind him. The Rockets were making plays, including a gem by first baseman Will Dorion, who with a man on first, laid out for a hard sinking line drive, gloved it, and in the same motion hit the bag to double the runner off. A spectacular unassisted double play! Closer Sean Greene nailed it down with two shutout innings. Siegenthaler earned MVP for his effort on the hill.

The Rockets advanced from their round robin pool and drew a tough Abington team in their semifinal game Sunday morning.


Dorion continued his heroics, this time on the mound for the Rockets. With a searing fastball, he struck out 6 over three innings and yielded only 2 earned runs to a potent Abington lineup. Jack Morgan relieved Dorion in the fourth and he was sharp and efficient, allowing one base runner in two scoreless innings of work. Closer Steven Donovan slammed the door shut in the sixth and secured his team a trip to the Tournament Championship Game.


The Rockets won this battle on the mound and on the base paths. With only two hits in the game--a Steven Donovan RBI single to deep left field in the first and William Popper bomb in the second for a double--the Rockets had to manufacture 6 runs to seal the deal. Opportunistic and intelligently aggressive base running got it done. Aidan McGaugh's effort in the first was case in point. He worked the count full on 7 pitches and took ball four to get aboard. He stole second to put himself in scoring position on the first pitch to the next batter. He took third on a wild pitch, got a good jump at third, and when he saw the next pitch dribble behind the catcher, he took off for the plate. Pitcher covered, slide under the tag and and safe!


Jack Morgan won MVP honors for his solid relief effort in a tight game.


With their semifinal win, the Rockets moved on to the tournament finals and a chance to be tournament champions. They would face off against a plucky team from Rehoboth directly after the semifinal but on Hurley Field, the crown jewel of Militia Park. The infield grass was cut short, the infield dirt was dragged smooth and sharply lined. It was nothing short of idyllic. 


A quick batting practice during the intermission, and the Needham Rockets were ready. Jeffrey Hohler took the mound for his first start in Rocket blue and gold. It took a few pitches for Hohler to settle in. The Rehoboth leadoff man took a fastball in the small if the back and was on. He wouldn't amount to any threat, though, as the next batter grounded to Drew Siegenthaler at second. Siegenthaler ranged, scooped, stepped on the bag at second, and fired on to first to turn two. Brilliantly executed, and Hohler's job suddenly became much easier. He relaxed, fired strikes and drew a pop up to third, a routine play for William Popper, and the Needham bats were set to do what they do.


Rockets leadoff man Sean Greene put himself on with a ground ball hit sharply up the middle. He advanced to third on two passed balls, came in to score on a Siegenthaler sac fly to deep left field, and the Rockets were on the board first, 1-0. Will Dorion singled on a shot up the middle, stole second, and hustled his way home on two passed balls. 2-0, Rockets after one.


Hohler returned for the second in a groove--and that's not where you want him if you're Rehoboth. He was bringing it big time and retired the side in order on a K and two soft grounders.


Matthew Dougherty led off the Rockets' second with a single. He advanced to second on a passed ball and came home on a long single to center field off the bat of Tom Berkley. 3-0, Rockets. But that was just the beginning of another monster inning for the Rockets. Hohler reached on an error, Eric Gage worked the count full and then took ball four to put himself on. He moved to second on a walk issued to Sean Greene, and then took third on a wild pitch. Gage, winner of the fastest base runner competition the night before, burned it home when the ball got by the third baseman to give the Rockets a 6-run lead. Will Dorion hit a bomb over the Rehoboth center fielder for an RBI double scoring Greene. The Rockets would notch 6 runs in the inning to put them firmly in command 8-0 after two.


But one run would have been enough for Hohler at this point. Firing crazy heat and pounding the zone, he struck out the side and kept Rehoboth off the scoreboard for the third straight inning.


The Rockets would build on their lead in the bottom half. Aidan McGaugh lined one to center for a single, Joe Dateo followed that with a rip up the line to right for a double, Matthew Daugherty cranked one to center for a single, Tom Berkley lined a shot to center for a single, and the hitting clinic was on. The Rockets produced two more runs in the inning and extended their lead to 10.


Hohler, relaxed, all business, remained in his zone for the top of the fourth, but Rehoboth managed a run in the inning, unearned. 10-1, Rockets, going into what would be the final half inning.


Eric Gage worked a leadoff walked and came around to score the run that would clinch it by mercy rule for  the 2012 Easton Charis Tournament champion Needham Rockets.


Jeffrey Hohler took MVP honors for his complete game win. He scattered two hits and two walks over four innings and gave up nothing earned. A stellar performance for the big lefty.


The Needham Rockets left Militia Park champions. We gelled as a team, played five games of solid baseball, and we got better. Getting better individually and as a team is always the chief goal, and while nothing is ever guaranteed, good results tend to happen when improvement is the focus. A lot went our way this weekend, and we are very excited to celebrate this victory together.


A happy Fourth of July to players, coaches, and parents! The season will resume with our next league game Thursday, July 5 vs Norwood American at Mills. See you there!