The New Jersey Nitro traveled to Cooperstown, New York to embark on their most competitive and longest trip of their short baseball careers. They were selected to play in the National American Tournament of Champions(NATC) which hosted some of the top travel programs from all over the country. The Nitro are comprised of local town players that have been developed by local volunteer coaches who through their hard work and time have produced a great bunch of players who play the game the right way. In our first game against an all star team from Ohio, the Nitro got off on the right foot. Trailing 1-0 after the very first inning, the Nitro got a leadoff homer from Alex and and R.B.I. from Michael to take an early 2-1 lead. Ohio came right back to tie it in their half of the second. The game stayed that way until Elliot stepped to the plate with a man on in the 4th and hit his first N.J. Nitro homer to give the Nitro a 4-2 lead. However, Ohio came right back and scored 3 runs to take a 5-4 lead. The Nitro executed a perfect double steal in the 5th inning to tie the score at 5. Kyle then came in and worked a perfect 6th inning and the game went into extra innings. Again Kyle worked a perfect 7th inning by striking out the side. In the bottom of the 7th inning with 1 out, Steven singled, and went to second on a wild pitch. Alex was walked and Richie stepped to plate and crushed a first pitch game winning 3 run homer. This game had a little bit of everything and gave the Nitro confidence that they can compete with the so-called big boys from around the country. In our second game, the Nitro were defeated by a top California team, Oxnard Yankees, 7-1 in a game that was closer than the score indicates. This team ended up going to the quaterfinals of the tournament. Joey Cr. was on the losing end of this one as he was outdueled by the Yankees' pitcher.
The next day, the Nitro were facing 2 more California teams and they prevailed in both. In the first game, after trailing 1-0, Alex hit another leadoff homerun to tie the score at 1. Derek, who had his second start, pitched 4 innings and held the Southern California Arsenal at bay. He gave up 1 run on 4 hits. In the 4th inning, Kyle hit the decisive blow with a homerun and Michael followed with an R.B.I. hit to give the Nitro an insurmountable 3-1 lead. Kyle came in and closed the door for the Nitro. In their second game of the day, the Nitro played against the Southern California Wildcats. In this game, the Nitro jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on key hits by Timmy, Nick, Alex and Steven. Joey Cr. started and gave back 2 runs but nothing else. He pitched 4 solid innings to get the win. The Nitro banged out 16 total hits as Timmy, Nick, Alex, Steven, and Derek had multiple hit games. Derek also had a solo homerun. Richie came in and closed out the game with 2 innings of solid relief. The next day saw a rain delay of 1 hour as the remnants of Hurricane Katrina was bearing down on Cooperstown. The Nitro were playing the Long Island Lightning and both teams had their hitting shoes on. The Nitro jumped out to an early 3-1 lead as Alex and Elliot hit home runs for the Nitro. The Lightning came back and scored 5 runs in the 5th inning to take a 6-3 lead. Undeterred, the Nitro fought back and scored 6 runs to go back up 9-6. Brian, Alex, Richie, Derek and Kyle had big hits. Joey Cr. had a sacrifice fly for the final run. Joey Ca. was outstanding on defense as he had many assists and turned a terrific double play. The Nitro banged out 14 more hits and were led by Alex, Richie, Kyle, and Joey Ca. with multiple hits. Nick came in to hold down the Lightning as they scored a meaningless run to make the final score 9-7. The next game was one of the more interesting and longest games the Nitro will ever play. They played the The Highwood Braves from Illinois. This game featured many rain delays, changing of fields, a protest and many comebacks. This game took over 5 1/2 hours to complete. Both teams fought like heck and showed a lot of character. During the delays, both teams, started interacting with each other and friendships were developed. In the game, the Nitro jumped to an early 6-0 lead as Kyle struck a big blow with a 3 run homer. Derek started and went into the third inning until he tired. Joey Cr. came in and struggled. The Lightning tied the score at 6 after the 3rd inning. Nick then came in and gave up 2 runs to put the Nitro in an 8-6 hole. However, in the 5th inning the Nitro scored 8 runs to take a 14-8 lead. The big blow was a grandslam from Alex. The Braves came right back to score the 2 runs to make the score 14-10. The Nitro got an insurance run in their half of the 6th and the Braves scored 3 runs to make the final 15-13. There were many heroes as the whole team contributed to this game. With this win the Nitro finished pool play 5-1 and 17th out of 80 teams. However, the rain washed out all of Wednesdays games and Thrusday only saw the top 16 teams playing in the tournament. The Nitro were the only 5-1 team not playing in the tournament.
This was a great experience for the players, the coaches and the parents and their families. The players will have memories that will last a lifetime. Everyone did something positive and I am sure that they will look back at this fondly and they can hold their head high. Not many teams ever heard of the New Jersey Nitro before the tournament started, but they knew who we are after.

The New Jersey Nitro tuned up for their Cooperstown trip with a tournament winning effort in East Brunswick. In the first game, the Nitro used a 4 run 4th inning to defeat the Marlboro Blaze 5-2. Derek, Nick and Kyle pitched effective ball as Richie and Derek drove in 2 runs apiece. The second game had the Nitro facing a very inexperienced Holmdel squad. This was never a contest as the Nitro won 18-1. Richie, Kyle and Michael each drove in 3 runs apiece, Joe Ca. and Alex had 2 R.B.Is each. Joey Cr., Richie and Steven dominated with their pitching. The next game turned into a grudge match against the South Brunswick Vikings. This was a Nitro triumph 3-1. Alex, Nick and Kyle pitched superbly as they held the Viking offense to 1 run on 4 hits. Offensively, Derek had the big hit with a 2 run homer. Richie stayed hot with another R.B.I. as well. The Nitro's defense was flawless as they turned a crucial double play as the Vikings were threatening. The Nitro finished pool play 3-0 and next up were the Marlboro Mustangs. Joey Cr. got the start and gave up 1 run on 1 hit in 4 terrific innings. The Nitro prevailed 11-1 to move to the finals. Offensively, Nick and Kyle had 3 hits apiece. R.B.I.s were produced by Richie(5), Nick(3), and Joe Ca.(2).Richie had a 3 run homer and a run scoring double. Alex scored 3 runs from the lead off spot. With this win, The Nitro had to face an old nemmis in the Marlboro Blaze. The Nitro started Derek and he had some early trouble as he gave up 4 early runs of which only 1 was earned. Derek settled down to go 5 innings and allow the Nitro bats to come back. The Nitro chipped away with 1 run in the first, 2 in the 3rd, and tied the score in the 5th. In the bottom of the 6th, with 1 out, Alex singled and stole second. Nick came up and unleashed a double over the centerfielder's head as Alex came home for the game winning, tournament winning hit. This game showed the Nitro's mettle as they fought back from an early deficit and never gave up. Other key performers in this game were Elliot,who had the game tying hit, Kyle who drove in 2 runs, and Richie and Alex who scored 2 runs apiece. This was the last game action before the Nitro embark on their week-long trip to Cooperstown to participate in the N.A.T.C. week.

The New Jersey Nitro competed in the Summer Heat Tournament in Fair Haven New Jersey and reached the finals. They went 3-0 in pool play but lost the championship game to a very good South Brunswick team. In their first game against Rumson, the Nitro banged out 10 hits, led by Derek's 3, and won 9-2. Joey Crocco pitched 3 strong innings for the win. Derek and Elliot combined for 5 hits and 5 r.b.is. In the second game, the Nitro dominated the host team, Fair Haven, by a score of 13-0. Again, the Nitro bats were the story as they banged out 16 hits. Offensively, they were led by Alex's 3 hits, and Richie, Kyle, Derek, and Elliot with 2 hits apiece. Richie had 5 r.b.is, and Elliot had 3. Derek was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion as he cruised to the victory. The next day saw the Nitro facing an old nemmiss in Hazlet. This time it was no contest as the Nitro jumped on them for 8 first inning runs and never looked back as they cruised to a 15-1 victory. Nick pitched brilliantly and the offense was led by Alex and Derek who had multiple hit games. Kyle and Joe Crocco each drove in 2 runs apiece. The championship game was a different story for the Nitro. South Brunswick came in and shut down the Nitro offense on 1 hit and they defeated the Nitro 7-0. Joey Crocco did not have his best stuff as he absorbed the loss. All in all, it was a tremendous tournament for the Nitro as they pitched and hit effectively. Next up is the Mid-Summer Classic in East Brunswick.

The New Jersey Nitro got off on the right foot in the Dave Gallager's 2005 spring league playoffs with an 8-0 win over the Howell Hurricanes. The story of this game was the pitching of Nick Kreiger who went the distance, allowing only 3 baserunners with 2 walks and 1 hit. Nick struck out 10 in his effort. Offensively, the Nitro banged out 11 hits as Alex, Joe R. and Steven each had 2 hits apiece.The Nitro broke open a close game with 6 runs in the 5th inning as Joe R. led off the inning with the 2nd of his 2 hits. In that inning, the Nitro had 5 hits, 1 walk and 1 HBP. Nick helped his cause with a 2-run single. The win propelled the Nitro into the semis against the New Jersey Yellow Jackets. The Nitro were in an early hole and could never recover. However, they never gave up as they fought back from 9-1 deficit to eventually lose 9-6. Kyle had a 3-run homer in a losing effort. The Nitro had an excellent spring season by winning the regular season with a 9-0 record. The Nitro will be on a break until after the Districts when they meet again in the Fair Haven Tournament.

This Memorial Day weekend produced some excellent baseball as the Nitro fell short of reaching the championship game. In a controversial outcome, the Nitro actually had won the tie-breaker but for the sake of playing games, the Nitro lost 2 games to the Garden State Knights by scores of 8-5 and 5-2. In the first game, the Nitro battled back from early deficits to take a 4-3 lead but they could not hold it. The Knights were aggressive on the basepaths all tournament and there speed proved to be the downfall of the Nitro. Alex and Nick had good offensive games. In the second game, the Nitro unleashed their power on the South Brunswick Vikings as they won 9-6. Nick started the game off with a solo homer and Kyle later had a 2 run homer. The Nitro banged out 9 hits. Steven and Richie also drove in 2 runs apiece. Kyle pitched 4 innings of effective relief in shutting down the Vikings' offense. Here is where the controversy started as the Nitro had won the tie-breaker but we decided to play an extra game against the winner of the Knights-Vikings contest. On Monday May 30th, the Nitro played the Knights and lost 5-2. Joey Cr. pitched valiently for the Nitro and Alex, Elliot and Kyle had big hits, but it was not enough. This was a story of the Knights running on our pitchers and the Nitro getting picked off twice and having 2 base runners caught stealing. If anything, this was a lesson that was well learned as we continue to prepare for Cooperstown later this summer. Next up for the Nitro is the playoffs for the Dave Gallagher league.

The New Jersey Nitro won both of their games on Sunday to extend their winning streak to 9 in a row. In the first game, the Nitro eked out a 6-5 win over previously undefeated South Wall Clippers. Kyle continud his hot bat with 3 hits including a 2 run homer. With the Nitro trailing 5-4 in their half of the fifth inning, the Nitro rallied for 2 runs to take the lead for good. Kyle and Derek led off with back to back singles and both advanced on a ground out. The South Wall pitcher unleashed a wild pitch and both runners scored for the Nitro to take the lead. Kyle then pitched the 6th for a save.
In the second game, the Nitro pummelled the Central Jersey Cobras 13-2 as they banged out 11 hits.Alex led the way with 3 hits including a 3 run homer. The Nitro jumped to a 6-0 win and never looked back. Derek started and got the win and Brian came on and held the Cobras offense down. Next up is the Memorial Day Tournament in Old Bridge.

The New Jersey Nitro continued their roll with 2 wins this past Sunday. Pitching continued to be the story as the Nitro allowed only 1 run for both games. In the first game, they defeated the Central Jersey Raiders 12-1 as they scored early and often. Big hits were provided by Brian and Nick, both driving in 2 runs, as well as Alex who also had 2 hits. Pitching was dominant as Nick, Joey Cr. and Steven combined on a 1 hitter. Steven was making his first appearance for the Nitro this year. In the second game, the Nitro scored 5 runs in their half of the sixth inning to defeat the Howell Hurricanes 5-0. Pitching again was the highlight as Kyle, Derek and Joey Cr. combined for the shutout. Again, Brian had the big hit as he drove in the first 2 runs with a double. Next up for the Nitro is a makeup game on Friday againt thr South Wall team and then 2 games on Sunday.

On a glorious Mother's Day, the New Jersey Nitro slugged their way to a victory against the New Jersey Yellowjackets 14-2. It started early when the Nitro had 5 consecutive base hits to open their half of the first inning. The big blow was a 3 run homer by Kyle which gave the Nitro a 4-1 lead. The Yellowjackets pushed across a run in the second inning to make the score 4-2. However, the Nitro exploded for 5 runs in the second inning highlighted by Richie's 2-run homer. Kyle later had another 2-run homer to keep the Nitro way ahead. Offensively, Kyle, Richie, Nick, Elliot and Joe R. all drove in runs. Brian, Alex, Steven and Derek also had hits. Pitching also was excellent as Derek and Kyle pitched effectively to shut down the Yellowjackets offense. Next up for the Nitro is a double header against the Raiders and Hurricanes.

The New Jersey Nitro scored 6 runs in the very first inning and cruised to a win over in-town rival the Manalapan Sting 10-2. The Nitro plated 6 runs after 1 out in the first inning with 8 consecutive hits. The big hits were a run scoring double by Richie and a 2-run single by Steven. In the mean time, Derek, Alex and Richie mowed down the Sting by allowing 5 hits and 1 earned run. The Nitro hurlers struck out 9 batters along the way. Every member of the Nitro, except 1, had at least 1 hit with Richie and Michael getting 2 each. Fine defense was turned in by Timmy and Derek as they caught a runner trying to score from third base on a wild pitch. Next up for the Nitro is a double header on May 1st.

The New Jersey Nitro slugged their way to a double-header sweep on Sunday. They defeated the Central Jersey Raiders 10-2 and the Howell Hurricanes 12-1. The hitting stars were Richie, who had his first 2 homer game for the Nitro against the Raiders and drove in a total of 7 runs for the double header, as well as Alex who also went deep in the first game. Also contributing to the victories offensively were Elliot, Steven, Kyle, Timmy, Brian, Joey Cr., Joe R. and Derek. Pitching will continue to be a problem for the team as it goes through their schedule but Derek and Elliot provided innings in the first game which helped the team for the second game. Kyle made his starting debut for the Nitro and held the Howell team in check. Excellent relief was provided by Nick, Richie and Brian. Defense was also key as Joe Ca., Nick and Michael played outstanding. Nick made an outstanding throw to nail a runner trying to stretch a single into a double. Next up is a single game against in town rival the Manalapan Sting.

After The first 11 games have been cancelled due to inclement weather, the New Jersey Nitro got their season underway with a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Yellow Jackets. Derek pitched a great 4 innings, allowing only one unearned run in the first inning. Nick came on and provided 2 innings of solid relief. The Nitro scored in the first inning with bases loaded and nobody out Michael hit into a double play to provide the tying run, then the Nitro struck with 4 runs in the second. Timmy had a run scoring single and Alex plated 2 with a single. The other run scored on a wild pitch. That was all the Nitro needed as the pitching and defense took over. Kyle got his first hit as an official member of the Nitro. Next up is a double-header on Sunday April 17th.

On a cold mid-November morning, the Nitro started their playoff season with a 7-1 win over the New Jersey Cobras. The story of the game was Alex pitching a complete game allowing only 4 hits while striking out 9 and not allowing a walk. The Nitro jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the very first inning and never looked back. By the 3rd inning, the Nitro were cruising with a 7-0 lead. Key hits were by Alex and Elliot. The Nitro were issued 10 walks and 1 hit batter which contributed to all their runs. With this win, the Nitro went on to play the Central Jersey Diamondbacks. In this game, the Nitro's season came to a close with a 7-5 defeat. The Nitro showed their grit by never giving up as they fought back from a 5-2 deficit to tie the game before losing on a 2-out, 2-run walk off home run. The offense was led by Alex, Elliot, Nick, and Joe Caputo. Joey Crocco once again pitched very well despite giving up 4 walks and 7 hits. The Diamondbacks are a very good team and I congratulate them on their season. I would like to thank the players for giving their all this fall season as well as the parents for all their support. I know the Nitro will be back next year better than ever!!!

In a much more spirited performance, the Nitro swept a double-header from their neighboring town rivals, the Marlboro Blaze, by the scores of 9-4 and 6-5(in 7 innings). In the first game Joey Crocco came within one out of pitching a complete game. The Nitro jumped out to an early lead an never looked back as the Blaze never mounted a serious threat. Lead off hits by Alex and Elliot set up a 3 run first inning as they scored on a fielders choice and a ground out. Nick had a big 2 out hit to plate the 3rd run of the inning. Nick and Joey Crocco produced the 4th run on consecutive hits and the Nitro broke open the game with 5 runs in the 5th inning. Starting the rally was Joe Caputo with a leadoff single and was capped by a 2 R.B.I. single by Derek. In this game, the offense banged out 10 hits, led by Nick who was 3-3. In the second game, a more back and forth affair, the Nitro prevailed with a run in the 7th inning. Nick started and pitched well for 4 plus innings and then Alex came in and got the win. The key atbat was a lead off walk by Joey Caputo in the top of the 7th inning. He stole second and went to third on a groundout and scored on a 2 out hit by Richie. Once the Nitro took the lead, Alex then shut out the Blaze in their home half of the 7th inning with 3 consecutive strikeouts. Once again, the offense pounded out 10 hits led by Derek who was 3-3 with 3 R.B.Is. The defense was excellent as the Nitro turned 2 double plays and almost had a third. The Nitro completed their fall season with a 7-3 record. Next up will be the start of the playoffs as the Nitro will be the # 3 seeded team in the round robin affair.

In a lackluster performance, the Nitro dropped 2 games to the Central Jersey Diamondbacks by 12-3 & 5-2 scores. In the first game, the Diamondbacks broke open a close game with 11 runs over the last 3 innings. Joey Crocco started and pitched well until he tired. Derek then came in and had a rough outing as he allowed 6 runs in 1 inning. In the second game, the Nitro hit into 4 double plays that squashed rallies and the Nitro never could climb out of an early deficit. Nick started and pitched well for 2 plus innings until he tired. Alex pitched the final 3 innings and gave up the final 3 runs. The Nitro fought back in their last half of the 6th inning to get the tying run at bat but could not come through. Our next scheduled game is against the Marlboro Blaze.

On Saturday, the Nitro traveled to Cheesequake and split a double header with the Jersey Shore T-Birds by the same 4-3 score. In the first game, starting pitcher Derek gave up 4 runs, 1 earned, in 2 plus innings. He was a victim of some sloppy play by his defense and of his own wildness as he walked 6. The T-Birds scored all their runs without the benefit of a hit. In the meantime, the Nitro were stymied by the T-Birds tall left-hander as he was mowing down the team in through the first 4 innings. The Nitro broke through in the 5th inning with 3 consecutive walks and a sacrifice fly by Joey Crocco. In the 6th inning, the Nitro finally broke through with their only hits of the game. Nick let off with a single and stole second. Elliot followed with a single to put runners on first and third. Richie then had a run scoring single to plate Nick and move Elliot to third. Richie stole second and Michael had a sacrifice fly to bring the 3rd run in for a 4-3 game. A base running mistake by Richie cost the Nitro a tie game as the Nitro could not plate him and they lost. In the second game, the Nitro prevailed 4-3. Joey Crocco pitched 5 terrific innings and Nick closed it out with a perfect 6th inning. The Nitro jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a 2 out single by Michael and then added 3 more runs on a R.B.I. ground out by Steven and a 2 run single by Joey Crocco for a 4-1 lead. A big play in this game was when Steven caught a runner trying to steal second in a tie game. Joe Caputo applied an excellent tag on the play. With the split, the Nitro ran their record to 5-1 and play at home next week against the Central Jersey Diamondbacks.

The New Jersey Nitro ran their winning streak to 4 in a row with a double header sweep of the Hudson County Hawks. In 2 terrific games, the Nitro prevailed 6-2 and 4-3. In the first game, Joe Crocco pitched a complete game by giving up 2 runs which 1 was earned. He continued to come up big when he had to. The Nitro fought back from a 2 run deficit to score 6 unanswered runs. The 3rd inning started with successive hits by Timmy, Joey Crocco, and Joe Caputo. Elliot proceded to hit a sacrifice fly, Richie had a R.B.I. hit and Michael received a bases loaded walk to score 3 runs. In the 5th inning the Nitro added 3 more runs on a 2 run double by Michael and an R.B.I. single by Brian to close out the scoring. There was excellent defense by the Nitro as Elliot and Brian combined to pick off a runner at 3rd base as the Hawks were threatening to get back into the game. Also Michael robbed a player of at least a single with a diving grab of a line drive that was ticketed to right field. In the second game, the Nitro won in their half of the 6th inning. Michael had a 2 out booming double and Steven followed with a R.B.I., game winning single. Nick started and pitched terrifically allowing 2 runs, 1 earned in 4 plus innings. Derek came on to pick up the win. Michael led the offense with 3 hits and 2 more R.B.Is. The Hawks are a very good team and it would not surprise me if we meet later on in the season. Next up is the Jersey Shore T-Birds.

The New Jersey Nitro started their fall schedule with a double-header sweep of the New Jersey Cobras 8-1 and 11-0. In the first game, Joey Crocco pitched a complete game as he gutted out a win without his best stuff. In a scoreless game, the Nitro broke through with a run in their half of the 3rd on a single by Joey Crocco, a walk to Elliot, a sacrifice bunt by Joey Caputo and a wild pitch. In the meantime, Joey Crocco was pitching in and out of trouble but he was still throwing a shutout. By keeping the Cobras at bay, he allowed the offense to take over. In the 5th inning, the Nitro batted around and scored 7 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks. The big hits were by Joe Caputo, Alex, Richie, Steven and Kyle(guest player). Key atbats were a leadoff walk by Joey Crocco and a sacrifice bunt by Elliot.
In the second game, the Nitro jumped out to a 5 run first inning and never looked back. Nick started it off with a hit and Alex drove him in with a triple and they went on to score 4 more runs that inning. Nick started for the Nitro and cruised to the victory by allowing only 1 hit. He was never in any trouble as he pitched to one over the limit. The offense was led by Alex, Nick, Steven, Joe Crocco, Joe Ramirez and Derek. The Nitro are 2-0 and will continue next week with a double-header against the Hudson Valley Hurricanes.

The Nitro played in Aberdeen, Maryland this past Labor Day weekend against very good competition. On Saturday morning, the Nitro played the Norlanco Redbirds. In a tight contest, the Nitro jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on an R.B.I. ground out by Derek. However, the Redbirds came back to tie the score in their half of the inning. In the 3rd inning, once again the Nitro took a 2-1 lead on an R.B.I. hit by Richie. The Redbirds once again came back to tie the score at 2 in their home half of the inning. The Nitro tried to pull away with 2 runs in the 4th inning and 1 in the 5th inning. Key hits were by Steven, Timmy, Joe Ramirez, and Richie. However, in the home half of the 5th inning, the Redbirds scored 5 runs to take a 7-5 lead and the game was called on account of the time limit. Joey Crocco started and pitched extremely well for 3 innings. Offensively, the Nitro were led by Nick, Richie, Steven, Timmy, Joe Ramirez, Elliot and Joey Crocco. Defensively, excellent plays were turned in by Richie and Alex. On Saturday afternoon, the Nitro's opponent was the Severna Park Spartans. The Spartans jumped out to an early 5 run lead in the top of the first inning. However, the Nitro never gave up as Nick came on to hold them right there as he pitched 4 1/3 shut out innings. They fought back with 2 runs in their half of the 1st inning and 2 more in the 3rd inning. Key plays were Richie scoring from second base on a wild pitch,doubles by Nick, Derek and Joey Crocco. The Nitro tied the score on an R.B.I. single by Derek in the 5th inning. Timmy came on to pitch a scoreless 6th inning. In the bottom of the 6th, the Nitro won the game on a double by Joey Crocco (2nd of the game),and a double by Alex. The story of this game was the fact that the Nitro never gave up and the relief pitching throwing 5 1/3 scoreless innings. The Nitro finished Saturday with a 1-1 record and a win Sunday would propel the Nitro into the playoffs. The Nitro's opponent was the Glen Cove Cardinals. The Nitro jumped out with a single runs in the 1st and 3rd innings. Key hits were provided by Alex, Derek, Steven, and Richie. The Nitro added 3 more runs in the 4th inning on key hits by Joey Crocco, Steven, Michael and Elliot(who drove in 2 runs). The Cards plated 3 runs in their half of the 5th inning but the Nitro came back to score 1 to make the score 6-3. Excellent defense was provided by Brian, Elliot and Joey Caputo. Alex came on to pitch a perfect 7th inning for the save. Next up for the Nitro was a playoff game against the Southern Maryland Hurricanes played at the Mini Camden Yards. It was a pitcher's duel between Derek and their big left hander. The Hurricanes broke through with 4 runs in their half of the 4th inning. The Nitro, with their never say die attitude, fought back with 3 runs in the 6th inning on a bases loaded single by Richie and heads up baserunning by Nick. Key hits in the inning were provided by Joe Caputo and Nick. The Nitro came back to tie the score in the 7th inning on a walk to Joey Crocco, a stolen base and a single by Timmy. With runners on 1st and 3rd, the Nitro executed a double steal and the tying run scored on the play. However, the Hurricanes scored a run in their half of the 7th inning to win the ballgame. There was some excellent defense by Michael,Joe Ramirez and Brian. It was a well-played game and I know the experience will only benefit the team. This weekend, the Nitro played on some of the best manicured fields and I know they will never forget that experience. Next up, we start the fall season with a double-header against the Cobras.

The New Jersey Nitro played in a tournament before playing in the Cal Ripken states. They used this tournament to stay sharp. In 4 well played games in which the Nitro played, there was some bright spots. Joey Cr., Kyle, Derek, Steven, Alex,and Nick pitched well. Derek in a terrific game against the Marlboro Blaze, hit a home run and was the winning pitcher. There was excellent defense by Brian, Timmy, Joe Ca.,Elliot, and Joe R. The offense, though anemic at times, were led by Elliot, Alex, Timmy, Richie and Michael. With this tournament, the Nitro prepared for the Cal Ripken State tournament. We wish them all the best. Good luck!!!

The New Jersey Nitro captured the championship in the recently completed tournament in Fair Haven, New Jersey. They outscored their opponents 42-9 in the 4 games. In the first game, the Nitro won going away against the host team 16-1 in a shortened game due to the score. Joey Cr. and Derek combined to give up 1 run on 3 hits. Offensively, the Nitro were led by Tim who had 3 hits and 3 runs scored, as well as Elliot who had 2 hits and 4 r.b.i.s. Alex, Steven and Michael all had 2 hits apiece and Richie had 3 runs scored and 3 r.b.i.s. Brian had a triple and a run scored. Defensively, Joe R. and Joey Ca. played flawlessly. The Nitro banged out a season high 16 hits. In the second game, against a fast becoming rivalry Hazlet, the Nitro jumped out to an 8-0 lead and coasted to a 13-5 victory. Again, the Nitro offense banged out 14 hits. Timmy continued to stay hot with 2 more hits as well as Nick, Steven, and Richie. Derek had 3 hits and 2 r.b.i.s, and Steven drove in 4 runs. Pitching was led by Alex, Nick and Brian. Next up was Cranford and a win guaranteed the Nitro a game in the championship. The Nitro did not disappoint as they scored 9 early runs and coasted to a 9-3 victory. Steven and Timmy supplied excellent pitching and the offense continued its onslaught with 11 more hits. Nick and Joey Cr. each had 2 hits and 2 r.b.i.s. Alex hit his first home run as a Nitro in the first inning to put the Nitro on top. Joe R. had a hit and a run scored. The win propelled the Nitro into the championship game against in-town rival the New Jersey Thunderbolts. In a close and competitive game, the Nitro struck for 4 runs in the home half of the 4th inning and went on to win 4-0. Joey Cr. pitched 6 shutout innings and allowed only 4 hits. In the 6th inning, he received defensive help from Alex who took a homerun away from one of the Thunderbolts by reaching over the centerfield fence to make the catch. This was a well played and fast paced game. In the 4th inning, the Nitro strung together 5 straight hits to produce their 4 runs. The rally started with Timmy, Alex, Steven, Richie and Michael all getting hits. Steven and Michael drove in a run apiece and Richie drove in 2 runs. This whole tournament was a team effort with excellent pitching and defense and great offense. Congratulations to the Nitro for their championship!!

The New Jersey Nitro went to Bridgewater, N.J. and swept through pool play but lost a heartbreaker in the championship game. The weekend started with the Nitro defeating the Bridgewater National team 11-4. With the Nitro short-handed due to Richie's injury(out for the tournament) and 2 players with other commitments, the Nitro scored 3 runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-1 lead. The key hit was a two out R.B.I. single by Derek. The Bridgewater National team came back to score 3 runs in the top of the 3rd inning for a 4-3 lead. However, in the bottom of the inning, Steven led off with a single and Elliot followed with a R.B.I. double. With 2 outs Joey Cr. launched his first Nitro homerun over the leftfield fence for a 6-4 lead. The Nitro added 5 runs in the fifth and coasted to an 11-4 win. Other offensive heroes were Joe Ca.,Brian,and Michael. Nick pitched 3 innings of 1 run baseball for the win. In the second game, the Nitro were losing 1-0 to the Hillsboro Screamers until the fifth inning when they exploded for 11 runs. Joey Cr. pitched 3 effective innings and Derek finished up with 2 perfect innings for the win. Offensively, Michael, Derek, Elliot, Brian, and Steven all had big hits. Defensively, the Nitro pulled off an unusual 5-3-6 double play. On Sunday, with the Nitro having already clinched a spot in the championship game, they defeated the Howell Knights 11-1. Trailing 1-0 going into the second inning, Steven once again led off with a base hit and 6 hits later, the Nitro plated 7 runs and cruised to an easy win. Offensively, Steven, Michael, Timmy, Elliot, Joe R., Joey Cr., Joe Ca., and Brian all had key hits. Joe R. had an outstanding at-bat where he fought back from an 0-2 count and worked out a 12 pitch walk. Pitching for the Nitro were Steven, Timmy, and Brian, and they all did extremely well. The Nitro also pulled off another unusual double play. With runners on second and third, the batter hit the ball back to the pitcher who completed a 1-3-2 double play. Unfortunately, Elliot suffered a sprained ankle on the play and he would miss the next game. In the championship game on Monday morning, Bridgewater American jumped out with 2 first inning runs after 2 were out. The Nitro fought back to score 4 runs in the bottom of the second. The inning started with 4 consecutive hits by Michael, Joe R., Derek(double), and Joey Cr. Joe Cr. and Derek drove in runs. Joe Ca. sacrificed, and then James plated the final with a run scoring double. Unfortunately for the Nitro, they did not score again and Bridgewater chipped away with a solo run in the third inning and 2 runs in the fifth to hold onto a 5-4 win. Defensively, Brian, James, Alex, and Nick were outstanding. All in all, this was a very successful weekend and we are very proud of the team. Our next tournament will be after the All-Stars competition.

On the final weekend of the spring league, the New Jersey Nitro defeated the Plainsboro Pythons 4-1. It was a well played,well pitched game. In typical Nitro fashion, the players played great defense. Starting pitcher,Alex, pitched 3 effective innings for the win as Derek picked up the save. The offense was led by Joey Cr. who had a booming 2-run double. Also contributing were Michael, Joe R., Derek, Joe Ca.,and Nick. Defensively, the Nitro were led by Richie, Steven, Elliot, Brian and Timmy. The Nitro finished their season with 3 wins against 12 yr. olds. The last 4 games showed the true grit this team possesses and I am sure this experience will only propel the team to bigger and better results. We now look forward to the Memorial Day tournament in Bridgewater, N.J.

On a glorious Mother's Day, the Nitro played 2 great games against quality competition. Even though they came up just short, I know as parents we are very proud of their play. In the first game against in-town rivals, the Manalapan Patriots, it took a scratch hit to beat the Nitro 2-1. Steven pitched wonderfully and the Nitro had the tying run at third as Michael worked a walk, stole second and went to third on an infield out in the last inning to give the Patriots a scare. Everyone performed well as Brian and Joe Ca. had singles and Derek and Timmy combined on a double play as Derek threw out a runner at third from right field. Joe Cr. pitched effectively in relief and Alex scored the only run using his speed. In the second game against the Marlboro Grey team,who lead the division, the Nitro lost 6-4 with the tying run at bat. Again the pitching was outstanding as Joey Cr. pitched his heart out. The offense was led by Nick, Elliot, Alex, Richie,and Steven. Defensively, Elliot, Joe R., Joe Ca.,and Richie were outstanding. These two games showed that they never gave up even against quality teams. The team performed as well as we knew they can and we are looking forward to playing next week.

The New Jersey Nitro continue to struggle against older and more experienced players as they lost 2 games to quality opponents. In the first game, it was not even close as the Princeton Giants dominate from start to finish in a 16-1 rout. The Nitro managed only 4 hits as Princeton flexed their muscles for 10 hits and back-to-back homers. In the second game, the Nitro played one of their better games as they fought to the finish but came up a little short. The final score was West Windsor Knights 10-N.J.Nitro-8. This was a back and forth affair until the Knights scored 7 straight runs in the 4th and 5th innings. The Nitro fought back to get the tying runs on base in the last inning only to come up short. This was a valiant effort and the Nitro showed real grit in never giving up. Next up is a double-header on Mother's Day.

The New Jersey Nitro split their 2 games this past weekend, losing to Toms River but then beating Howell in the second game. The Nitro continue to struggle against an older and more experienced 12 year old teams as Toms River wins 9-1. Although they pitched well, it was their defense which let them down. In the second game, the Nitro finally played an all around game as they defeated the Howell Thunder 11-5. The Nitro were flawless in the field and they had there largest offensive production with 8 hits. Again, the Nitro continue to piece together their pitching staff as they used 5 pitchers to complete the game. Eveyone on the team contributed in this win as they played together and with spirit. Next up for the Nitro is a double-header on Sunday May 2nd.

The New Jersey Nitro lost 2 games this past weekend.In their first action in 3 weeks, the Nitro dropped their first game 12-4 to the Holmdel Clippers and their second game to the New Jersey Sharks 7-1. In the first game, it was 2 poor innings that did the Nitro in. With the score 3-0 in their favor, the Nitro gave up 7 runs in the second inning to an aggressive Holmdel squad and the Holmdel team never looked back. The Nitro had run scoring hits by Timmy,Steven, and Michael. The Clipper's pitchers settled down to stymie the Nitro offense the rest of the way. Pitching continues to plague the Nitro as 3 different pitchers gave up 12 runs. In the second game, the New Jersey Sharks prevailed 7-1 with excellent pitching and defense. The Sharks built on an early 3-0 lead and added to their total with late runs. Again the Nitro had to use 3 different pitchers to get through the game. Next up is a double-header on April 25th.

On a cold and blustery early spring Sunday, the New Jersey Nitro opened their spring schedule against 12 year olds with a double-header split. The Nitro lost their opener to the Marlboro Blue 7-0. The Nitro playing short-handed, were out-pitched, out-hit and played sloppy defense. The Marlboro team played an aggressive game and jumped on the Nitro from the very first inning. Joey Cr. started and although he pitched well, the defense and offense were non-existent.
In the second game, the Nitro turned the tables against the Holmdel Warriors by jumping out to an early 9-0 lead and cruising to a 12-2 win. Key hits were by Timmy,Steven,Michael,Derek, and Richie.The Nitro were also helped by 11 walks. James and Elliot had 2 walks apiece. Every member of the Nitro reached base either via a walk or a hit. Defense was led by Joey Cr.,Joe Ca. and Brian. Steven pitched 2 innings for the win. He was followed by Elliot,who made his Nitro debut, and Richie. Next up for the Nitro is a double-header on Sunday April 18th beginning at 9 a.m.

NITRO HAVE AN EXCELLENT SHOWING IN DELAWARE!!!!
The New Jersey Nitro played in a round robin tournament at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and finished third in the 8 team competition. The weekend started on a cool Saturday as the Nitro were scheduled to play 2 games. In the first game against the Delaware Express, the Nitro prevailed 14-0. They got off to a fast start when with 1 out and Alex on base, Richie clubbed his first homerun as a Nitro over the left center field fence to give the Nitro an early 2-0 lead. The Nitro scratched out another run in the first inning to give them all the runs they would need. Steven and Joey Cr. pitched brilliantly as they held the Express to only 1 hit for the game. Other key contributors were Alex, Joe R., Mike, Elliot and Brian. The second game was against the Delmarva Dawgs. Alex started and pitched 2 innings striking out 6 and allowing only 1 hit. Offensively, the Nitro were led by Richie who drove in 5 runs with 2 doubles, Steven, and Derek who drove in 2 runs. Aggressive baserunning was provided by Timmy,and Nick. Derek and Richie also pitched to close out the game as the Nitro won 11-1. On Sunday morning, the weather was cool and windy. The Nitro played the Indian River Grizzlies and prevailed 11-1. Joey Cr. started and pitched 2 innings and struck out 5 and did not allow a hit. Nick and Timmy came on to finish up. The 3 pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter. Offensively, Timmy,Brian,Nick,Joe R.,Michael and Joe Ca. all contributed with key baserunning and timely hitting. This win propelled the Nitro to the # 1 seed in the playoff round. As the weather turned downright cold and with wind blowing at 40 miles per hour straight in, the Nitro dropped an 8-2 decision to the Delmarva Shorebirds. With the defeat the Nitro finished the tournament in 3rd place. Offensively, Elliot, Alex, and Richie had the only hits as the Nitro hit into tough luck. Steven started and pitched 3 innings. He was backed up by Nick, Joey Cr., and Richie. The story of this game was that the Nitro did not take advantage of their opportunities and the Shorebirds did. The Shorebirds went on to win the championship.
Overall, the Nitro played great considering it was their first time out in less than ideal weather conditions. I would like to thank the players for all their hard work throughout the off season as well as all the parents for taking time away from their schedules to provide the team with the chance to compete. We are looking forward to starting our spring season @ Dave Gallagher's Baseball Academy.

The New Jersey Nitro captured the championship of the 11u fall division of the Dave Gallagher Baseball Academy with a scintillating 5-4 victory over the Old Bridge Wildcats. It was the Nitro's 9th consecutive victory and completed an undefeated fall season. In a game where both teams battled back from deficits, it was a 2 out wild pitch in the bottom of the 6th inning by the Old Bridge pitcher that plated the winning run. The Wildcats started fast with 2 quick runs in the top of the first inning on a single,hit by pitch and an error to put the Nitro in a quick hole. Undeterred, the Nitro came right back with 2 runs in their half of the first inning. Alex D. walked and stole second, was sacrificed to 3rd base by Nick K. and Richie R. walked and stole second. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Steven B. had an infield hit to plate 1 run and on a wild throw the second run scored. The Nitro took the lead in their half of the 3rd inning as James L. led off with a walk and was sacrificed to 2nd by Joe Ca. Alex then doubled to the left field fence to plate James. Alex then stole 3rd base. With 2 outs Richie R. lined a single to right to score Alex for a 4-2 lead for the Nitro. However, the Wildcats came back with a run in their half of the 4th inning on back-to-back lead off walks and a double steal. Their run scored on a wild pitch. With the tying run on 3rd base and the top of the order due up, Joey Cr. came in to put out the fire for the Nitro by getting a key strikeout. Old Bridge came back to knot the score at 4 in their half of the 5th inning on 2 singles, a walk, and a wild pitch. The game remained tied until the last half of the 6th inning when with 1 out, Nick K. worked out a 13 pitch walk and stole second. He moved to third on a ground out by Richie. Steven then walked and stole second. With runners on 2nd and 3rd and Michael S. at bat, the Old Bridge pitcher unleashed a wild pitch and Nick came sliding in with the winning championship run. There were outstanding defensive plays made throughout this game from both teams. The Nitro were led by Elliot D.,who played a flawless 3rd base, Joe Ca. who played his usual steady defense at second as well as Richie at shortstop and Michael at first base were also flawless. Other plays that were made were by Brian M. in right field who robbed a potential base hit by throwing out the batter at first base. Joe R.,Alex and Derek K. played their steady defense in the outfield. Joey Cr. and Nick handled the catching duties and did a tremendous job. It was a valiant effort by by the Old Bridge Wildcats who finished their season 7-3. Congratulations goes out to their players and coaching staff as they gave the Nitro all they can handle. I want to personally thank the players of the New Jersey Nitro who played brilliantly and as a team throughout this fall season. They showed great heart and determination as they continue to grow as a team. We as coaches are very proud of them. We also want to thank James for participating as a guest player. James displayed the ability to fit right in with the team and the team did not skip a beat. Also I would like to thank my assistant coaches, Steven K., Wayne K., and Allan D. for their help in preparing the team to play. Lastly, I would like to thank the parents of the players for their continued dedication, enthusiasm and support because without you, we could not be the team that we are. The Nitro will take the next 2 1/2 months off and we will reconvene for winter training in the middle of January to prepare for the 2004 season.

The New Jersey Nitro finished their fall season this past weekend with an undefeated record of 8-0, as they swept a double-header. They have a first round bye and a date in the championship game on November 1st. It all started with an 11-0 drubbing of the Garden State Knights. The story of the game besides being a blowout was the perfect game pitched by Joey Cr. With the score 11-0, the game was 4 innings long as Joey faced 12 batters and retired them all with 6 strikeouts. The offense was led by Richie R. who had 2 hits and 2 R.B.Is. Also for the Nitro, Nick K.,Derek K.,and Elliot D. had a hit and a R.B.I. each. The Nitro had 5 hits and 10 walks and were very aggressive on the basepaths. Defensively they were flawless as Steven B.,Alex D.,and Joe Ca. all fielded their positions expertly. Walks played a big part in the 11 runs the Nitro scored with Joe R. and Joe Ca. receiving 2 each and Nick,James L., Michael S., Elliot, Joey Cr., and Derek getting 1 each. In the second game, defense ruled. The Nitro flashed their leather in another well-played game against the Old Bridge Wildcats. The Nitro prevailed 3-2 as Steven B. pitched 5 2/3 innings for the win. Nick K. came in to get the the last out to record the save. Oustanding web gems were recorded by Richie,Joe Ca., Michael S.,Nick K.,Elliot D. and Joey Cr. Richie made a diving stop of a grounder ticketed for a base hit and got the force out at second base. Joe Ca. caught an over the shoulder pop up in short right field. Michael made 2 outstanding stops of tough groundballs to record the outs at first base. Nick K. made 2 outstanding plays; one as a catcher and one as a right fielder. Elliot D. made a diving stop at 3rd base, rolled over and made a perfect throw to nip the batter at first base. Joey Cr.made a perfect throw on a bunt attempt. Also Richie and James L. teamed up to nip a runner at second base during a double steal attempt. Offensively it was a struggle. The Nitro played fundamental baseball and executed it to perfection as they broke up a scoreless game with a run in the fifth inning. Steven led off the inning with a single and stole second base. With Michael at bat and down in the count 0-2,he managed to hit the ball to the right side to advance Steven to 3rd base with 1 out. Steven scored from there on a wild pitch to give the Nitro a 1-0 lead. In the 6th inning, Elliot led off the inning with a walk and Brian M. executed a bunt single. With runners on first and second, the Nitro executed a double steal. The next batter was James who walked but on ball four, the ball got away from the catcher as Elliot scored from third. On the throw back to the pitcher, the ball got away from him allowing Brian to score for a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the 6th, the Old Bridge Wildcats did not go down easily as they scored 2 runs and had the tying run on second when Nick came in to secure the win with a strikeout. These wins were a total team effort and is indicative of how they played all season. It will take the same effort to win the championship in 2 weeks.

In a tale of 2 games, the New Jersey Nitro ran their winning streak to 6 games in a row with victories by the scores of 11-3 & 2-1. In the first game, the Nitro outslugged the Garden State Knights. They were led by starting and winning pitcher Alex D. who hit 2 booming doubles and drove in 3 runs. Also contributing offensively were Richie R.(who also hit the fence), Steven B.,Michael S.,Brian M.,James L. and Joe R. Defensively the Nitro were flawless. Joe Ca.,Elliot D. and Nick K. all made excellent plays. The game featured a scintilating run-down in which all the defensive players handled their assignments perfectly to get the baserunner out. In the first inning, Michael S. produced the first 2 runs with a single scoring Richie and Steven who both had singled and stolen a base. In the second inning, Alex had an R.B.I. double that just missed being a homerun as he plated Brian who had singled and stolen a base. With the score 4-3 entering the fifth inning, Joey Cr. came off the bench and started a 5 run rally by getting hit by a pitch. The next 7 out of 8 batters reached base safely as the Nitro scored 5 runs and never looked back. In that inning, Alex and Richie both had long doubles that produced runs. In the 4th inning, Nick K. came in to pitch the Nitro out of trouble. The Knights had rallied to within 1 run and had the tying run on base and Nick proceded to strand the runners. He went on to pitch 2 2/3 perfect innings for the save.
The second game was a battle of unbeaten teams as the Nitro prevailed 2-1 over the Old Bridge Wildcats. In a well-played and fast paced game, both teams played flawlessly. Steven B. pitched a complete game 4 hitter for the win. With no score in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Nitro managed to scratch out 2 runs on 2 hits. Steven led off the inning with a single and stole second base. Michael worked out a big walk. The Nitro put on a successful double steal as the runners moved up a base. Joe R. then hit a tapper up the first base line that produced a run and moved Michael to third base. Derek K. then had the big hit in the inning as he drove a ball over the left fielder's head to produce the insurance run the Nitro would need. The Wildcats scored a run in their last inning that completed the scoring. These 2 wins for the Nitro was a total team effort from the starters to the role players as everyone contributed. For the double header, the Nitro produced 13 runs on 19 hits and zero errors. Next up for the Nitro are 2 games against the same opponents.

On a rainy, cold, dreary Saturday, the Nitro captured their 4th consecutive victory of this fall season. With a limited squad, the Nitro defeated the Mercer All-Stars 5-1. Steven B. pitched a complete game 3 hitter. Although he struggled at times, he made the big pitch when it counted. The defense was led by Nick K.,Joe Ca.,Elliot D.,Richie R. and Joe R.. Joey Cr. caught an outstanding game. Offensively, the Nitro was led by Derek K. who had 2 hits and 3 R.B.Is. The Nitro got started in the very first inning as Nick walked and then stole second and went to third on a pass ball and then scored on a wild pitch to tie the score at 1. Later that inning, with 2 men on and 2 out, Derek singled to produce 2 runs and give the Nitro a 3-1 lead that they never relinguished. For the Nitro, James L. walked and scored twice. Also Joe Ca. walked twice and Vin C. had 2 sacrifice bunts. With the win, the Nitro ran their record to 4-0. Next up for the Nitro is a double-header on October 11th.

The New Jersey Nitro resumed their play with a double-header sweep on Saturday September 27th with victories against the Central Jersey Raiders (13-5) and the Jersey Shore Thunderbirds (14-6). On the day, the Nitro scored 27 runs and had 24 hits. With some regulars missing, the Nitro picked up James L. to join them for the fall season. In the first game, Steven B. pitched the first complete game in Nitro history as he dominated the Raiders. The Nitro offense banged out 12 hits and scored 13 runs to cruise to the victory. Offensively, the Nitro were led by Alex, Nick, Richie,and Joe R. as they banged out 9 hits and 8 R.B.Is. between them. Newcomer James L. fit right in with 2 walks that contributed to the big 7 run third inning. Steven allowed 5 runs but on only 4 hits as the outcome was never in doubt. Defensively, the Nitro played flawlessly as Michael,James, Alex and Derek all contributed with great plays. Joey Cr. was a real workhorse for the Nitro as he caught all 6 innings of the first game and pitched a one-hitter for the second complete game in Nitro history. Joey Cr. also contributed with 2 hits and 2 R.B.Is. in game 2. Other offensive standouts were Richie, Nick, and James,who beat out 2 safety sqeeze bunts for hits. The Nitro broke open a tie game with an 8 run 2nd inning to build a 12-4 lead and never looked back. The Nitro were aggressive on the basepaths as Nick,Derek and Joey Cr. each had at least 2 stolen bases and 2 runs scored. Defensively, Joe R.,Alex, and Michael all had outstanding plays. All in all, it was a total team effort for the Nitro who improved their fall record to 3-0. Next up is a single game on Saturday October 4th against the Mercer All-Stars.

The New Jersey Nitro started their 2003 fall season at Dave Gallagher's Baseball Academy on a positive note with an 8-5 triumph over the Mercer All-Stars. It was a total team effort with everyone contributing to this victory. Pitching duties were handled by Steven B.(winning pitcher),Joey Cr.,Derek K.,and Richie R. The Nitro scored quickly when lead off hitter,Alex D.,singled and stole 2 bases and scored on a run producing ground out by Richie. In the 2nd inning, Steven led off with a single and Joe R. followed with a walk. Both runners scored on a R.B.I. ground out by Derek and a wild pitch. In the 3rd inning, Joe Ca. was safe on an error,stole 2nd base and scored on a single by Nick K., who later scored on a double by Richie. In the 4th inning, the Nitro continued to pull away from Mercer by scoring 2 more runs. With 2 outs Derek K. singled and came all the way around on a bunt single by Brian M. as Mercer threw the ball away. Brian ended up on 3rd base and later scored on a R.B.I. grounder by Joey Cr. Derek and Richie each had 2 R.B.Is. and Joe R. had 2 walks and 2 runs scored. Elliot D. also contributed a double. The Nitro held their ground defensively with outstanding plays by Joe Ca.,Michael S.,Elliot D., and Brian. The Mercer All-Stars scored all their runs in the last inning making the game interesting. An outstanding running catch by Brian secured the victory for the Nitro. Next up is a double-header on Sept.13th.

The New Jersey Nitro participated in the East Brunswick Tournament and reached the semi-finals. Wih an opening game loss to Iselin in extra innings by a score of 5-4. The Nitro had to blast through their remaining opponents without giving up 3 runs to make the playoffs. In a display of excellent pitching,and defense as well as timely hitting, the Nitro outscored their remaining opponents 37-0 to make the playoffs. In the playoff game against Merrill Park, the Nitro were defeated by a score of 4-3. Everyone on the Nitro contributed to their success in this tournament. The Nitro will now look forward to a much deserved summer break and then they start up again with a full fall league schedule at Dave Gallagher's baseball complex. Enjoy the summer!!!

In a makeup game from an earlier date, the New Jersey Nitro played the Central Jersey Predators on Tuesday evening and lost 10-4. With the Nitro's loss on Sunday, they were eliminated from any playoff scenario so they played this game as an exhibition to prepare the players for the upcoming Cal Ripken tournament. The pitching was outstanding as they struck out 13 and allowed only 3 earned runs. Defense again was their achilles heel. Pitching for the Nitro were Derek K.,Richie R.,Alex D.,and Brian M. The offense was led by Joe R.,Steven B.,Michael S.,and Derek K. Aggressive baserunning by Timmy M.and Joey Cr. aided in the offense. With the Nitro's 4-4 record in a league of 11 yr. olds and playing on a bigger field, my coaches and myself are very proud of the players. We are looking forward to getting together again after the all-stars, to build on the progress we have made as a team. I want to thank my coaching staff for their hard work as well as the parents for making this all possible. Good luck in the Cal Ripken All-Star series.

The Nitro resumed play on a wet Father's Day with a contest against the Manalapan Patriots for bragging rights. In a contest that was delayed almost 6 hrs. and played under very poor conditions, the Patriots prevailed 9-5. The game was close early but the Nitro pitching staff walked too many as the offense could not compensate. Early on, some sloppy fielding by the Nitro provided the Patriots with 3 unearned runs.The Nitro kept chipping away with big hits by Tim M. and Joe R.and excellent baserunning by Richie R.,and Elliot D. The Nitro came all the way back in the 6th inning to pull within 1 run but then again that old bugaboo of walks did them in as the Patriots scored 3 runs to put the game away.Their was excellent defensive plays displayed by Brian M.,Elliot D., Joe R. and Joe Ca. Steven B., Joey Cr.,and Alex D. pitched effectively. The Nitro's record dropped to 4-3.

The Memorial weekend tournament in Bridgewater, New Jersey lived up to its name as there was plenty of water in the form of rain. The Nitro's schedule was revamped so they played 2 games on Sunday morning in cold rainy conditions. In the first game, the Nitro prevailed and beat the Future Stars 14-2. Strong pitching by Steven B.,Derek K. and Joey Ca. held the Future Stars at bay. The Nitro's offense was led by Timmy M.,Alex D.,Richie R., Steven B.,Joe R.,Brian M. and Elliot D.The Nitro broke open the game with a 10 run 3rd inning. Steven B.and Brian M. had run producing extra base hits.Joe R.,Steven B.and Brian M. each drove in 2 runs. In the second game,the Nitro dropped a decision to the Bridgewater team 6-3. The Nitro jumped out to an early 3-0 lead but could not hold it as the weather conditions deterriorated. The Nitro were scheduled to play Monday morning but the weather did them in as well as the rest of the tournament. Hopefully next year we will be back to compete under better conditions.Next up, back to Dave Gallagher's spring league.

The New Jersey Nitro got back to playing their brand of baseball. Good defense,excellent pitching,timely hitting,and daring baserunning produced a 4-3 triumph over the Jackson Lightning. Starting pitcher Nick K. pitched 3 scoreless,no-hit innings before turning the pitching duties over to Derek K. Derek proceded to throw 3 effective innings allowing only 1 run on 1 hit. Joey Cr. pitched the 7th inning to pick up the save. The Nitro bats came alive with timely hitting by Alex D. and Timmy M.,who both had 2 hits, Richie R.,Michael S.,and Joey Cr. Alex had a double and 2 R.B.I. to get the Nitro going. Timmy M. showed excellent baserunning skills as he stole home with what proved to be the winning run. The Nitro's defense once again showed how they can play. Brian M. was a standout in centerfield as he made 2 excellent catches. Another strong defensive play was by catcher Steven B.and pitcher Derek K. combined to nail a baseruuner as he attempted to steal home. Other great defensive plays by Joe R.,Joe Ca. and Elliot D. kept the Lightning at bay. This win was a total team effort and everyone contributed. Next up for the Nitro is the Memorial Weekend Tournament in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

On Mother's Day, the New Jersey Nitro bats went silent as The Monroe Falcons defeated the Nitro 7-1. In a dominating performance, the Falcons top pitcher threw six no-hit innings with 13 strikeouts. The Nitro managed to scratch out 1 run with a walk to Michael S. who stole second and came home on a wild pitch and bad throw by the catcher. Elliot D. had 2 walks and 2 stolen bases for the Nitro. Steven B. pitched in and out of trouble but absorbed the loss. The lesson to be learned from this game is to play hard and never giveup. The Nitro next play the Jackson Lightning.

On a cool Sunday morning for baseball, the New Jersey Nitro perservered in an extra inning thriller to outlast the Robbinsville Raptors 9-8 in 9 innings.Clutch hit by Steven B. with the bases loaded and one out plated the winning run. In a seesaw battle that saw the Nitro jump out in front with 3 quick runs on 1 hit, the Raptors came back with 6 runs in the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Some early sloppy defense combined with untimely walks by the Nitro pitching staff led to the 6 runs. The Nitro pecked away and with clutch pitching by their relief corps,featuring Nick K.,Derek K.,and Richie R.,kept the Raptors in check. The Nitro were the beneficiary of 9 walks,produced 6 hits and advanced 26 bases with aggressive baserunning. Outstanding defense late in the game was provided by Brian M.,who helped turn a double play and also prevented a run from scoring with a rocket throw to 1st base to get the 3rd out with a man in scoring position. Other defensive gems were provided by Alex D.,Joey Ca.,Michael S.,Joe R. and Joey Cr.,who picked off a would be base runner.Key hits were provided by Timmy M.,Nick K.,who had 2 rbi's,Derek K.,Michael S.,and Steven B. In addition, Elliot D.drove in a run with a ground out and Joe Ca. also brought home a run with a safety squeeze. Next up for the Nitro is a Mother's Day game against the Monroe Falcons.

It was a mixed bag for the New Jersey Nitro this past weekend as they split a double-header. In the first game,The Nitro held on to defeat the CJ Raiders 12-9 as The Nitro out-pitched and out-hit their opponent.The pitching stars were Joey Cr.,Alex D.,and Nick K.,while the hitting stars were Timmy M.,Alex D., Nick K.,Richie R.,Derek K.,Joe R.,Elliot D.,Joey Cr.,Joe Ca., and Brian M. Joey Cr. started and pitched well after some early jitters. The Nitro built an early 6-1 lead before they were tested by the Raiders. In the 6th inning with the score now 6-5 and the bases loaded and no outs, Nick K. came in to put out the fire as he gets 3 outs on only 2 pitches. With that momentum, the Nitro went on to score 6 more runs to break the game open. Helping to break open the game were aggressive baserunning by Michael S. and Joe R. who had key steals to help set-up run producing hits.In the second game, Princeton dominated the Nitro from the beginning as they scored 9 runs in the first 2 innings and never looked back in an 11-1 defeat of the Nitro. The Nitro will have to tighten up their defense as they made plenty of mistakes that they can learn from. The Nitro's record now stands at 2-1 with an early game upcoming on Sunday May 4th vs Robbinsville.

The New Jersey Nitro's spring 2003 season got off to a good start this past weekend with a 7-6 win over Holmdel. The Nitro, playing in an 11u division and on a larger field (50'mound and 70' bases),prevailed with good starting pitching,timely hitting and aggressive baserunning. The Nitro got off to a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning as Michael S. walked and scored without the benefit of a hit. In the 3rd inning, Timmy M. had a bunt single with 2 outs and scored on three stolen bases to expand the lead to 2-0. In the 4th inning, consecutive 1 out hits by Richie R. and Steven B., and a double steal set up a second and third situation. With 2 outs, hot-hitting Derek K. delivered a 2 run double to jump the lead to 4-0. Meanwhile, Steven was totally in control. Through 4 innings he gave up 1 run on 1 hit. In the 5th inning,the Nitro padded their lead with a run producing ground out by Elliot D. and a single by Brian M. to make the score 6-1. Joey Cr. came on in relief and pitched well but was a victim of unsteady defense in the 6th inning. Richie came on and put out the fire with back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded. Joe R.'s safety squeeze in the top of the 7th produced the Nitro's final run which proved to be the game winner as Holmdel scored 2 unearned runs in the bottom of the 7th inning. Fine defensive plays by Joey Cr.,Joe Ca. and Nick K. kept Holmdel's offense at bay in the early going. We are scheduled to play game #2 of the schedule against Ewing on Sunday April 13th.

What a difference a year makes!! Last year the Nitro's first trip to Virginia resulted in an 0-3 record as the Nitro played well but were over-matched against older players. This year playing against fellow 10 year olds, the Nitro won 2 out of 3 games and held their opponents to just 4 hits for the entire tournament. The Nitro's first game was Saturday morning with the temperature around 40 degrees and under cloudy,grey,and threatening skies.Undeterred, the Nitro came out swinging in the very first inning by scoring 4 runs and never looked back. They went on to win 14-0 against the South County Hawks. Steven B.,Joey Cr.,and Tim M. combined to throw a no-hitter as Alex D.,Steven,Joe R., Derek K.,Elliot D.,and Richie R. contributed to the offensive explosion. Also playing a key part to the offense was Joe Ca. getting hit by 2 pitches and Vinny Ca.'s aggressive baserunning leading to some runs. Nick K. caught a great game as he displayed a great arm to nail a would be base-stealer. In the afternoon game,once again superb pitching by Alex D.,Joey Cr.,and Nick K.produced another no-hitter and those Nitro bats,though slow at first,eventually came alive with 5 runs late to break open a 1-0 game and win 6-0 against the Chester County Crawdads. Key hits were by Richie R.,Nick K.,Derek K., Tim M.,and Joe R. Fine defense by Steven B.,Brian M.,Michael S., and Joe R. preserved the shutout and no-hitter. The Nitro were 2-0 going into an undefeated showdown with the Hampton Road Hurricanes on Sunday morning. Unfortunately,Mother Nature did not cooperate as Sunday morning also dawned cool,grey,and eventually rainy. The Nitro faced their toughest competition yet.In a well-played, nail-biter the Nitro lost 3-2. Great pitching by Steven B. and Nick K. kept the Hurricanes off-balance all game long. Some tough breaks cost the Nitro in the early innings from breaking open the game. The rain continued to reek havoc on the tournament schedule as the rest of the days games were cancelled. Over all, the New Jersey Nitro finished 5th out of 16 teams. Once again, I would like to thank my coaches, Wayne K.,Kevin M.,and Paul B.,for their dedication and hard work before,during and after the games. I would also like to thank the parents for their continued support and unending dedication to the team and also thank them for giving up their time to come to Virginia. Finally, a big thank you to the players. We are so proud of all of you. Once again, you showed us what you are made of. You are the best group of players any coach or parent could ask for. Next up: Lets get ready for Dave Gallagher's spring league.