Announcement

Rebels Runner-up at Diamond Nation

Posted by Mike Conry on May 29 2012 at 11:57AM PDT in 2012 Spring
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Flemington, NJ – This past weekend the NBNM Rebels competed in the Diamond Nation Memorial Day Blast. The 12U division of the tournament featured 32 contestants from throughout the the northeast US including Little League teams as well as prominent, elite travel baseball programs. The Rebels performed admirably achieving the #1 seed after pool play and ultimately finishing 2nd in the tournament.

Play for the Rebels began Saturday afternoon against the Nighthawks, a Little League all-star team from Buffalo, NY. Against this decidedly weaker opponent, the Rebels were workman-like in a 12-0 win by run-rule after 4 innings.

The Rebels returned to the beautiful Diamond Nation complex for two games on Sunday starting with the Diamondjacks Super 11U who are a tournament team based out of the host site in Flemington, NJ. Again, the Rebels were steady, if not overwhelming, in dispatching the local team 9-3.

NBNM moved on to face the BK Brawlers out of Walnutport, PA. The Brawlers, sporting sleeve patches from sponsor Burger King, couldn’t come up with a special order to slow the Rebels offense in this one as NBNM cruised to a 12-1 run-rule victory after 5 innings.

With pool play completed on Sunday night, by virtue of their 3-0 record and 33 runs-for with 4 runs-against, North Bellmore North Merrick secured the 1-seed for Monday’s play-off round.

With the temperature reaching past 90 degrees by game time, the Rebels began Monday with a quarter-final play-off against the Hunterdon Hurricanes from Hunterdon, NJ. In a game that featured very little in the way of offense, the teams completed the regulation 6 innings in a 2-2 tie. That put in effect the special tournament rule where extra innings are pre-set with the bases loaded and one out. After the Hurricanes failed to score in the top of the seventh, NBNM pushed the winning run across on a passed ball in the bottom half to put the Rebels into the semi-finals.

NBNM next lined up against the Northeast Titans. The name was befitting this team based out of Stroudsburg, PA — the players were as large as any seen in the tournament. But the Rebels battled and made the most of their chances by exploiting Titan errors, playing solid defense and riding the back of outstanding pitching to a 6-0 win and a trip to the tournament final.

The championship game matched the Rebels with the Tri-State Arsenal, a team of top players from NJ, PA and DE that is headquartered in Vorhees, NJ. The Rebels did well to keep this game close by taking advantage of opportunities on offense and playing pretty good defense but trailed throughout the contest. NBNM chased deficits of 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 5-1, 5-2, 6-2 and 6-3 eventually succumbing to a 7-3 defeat and 2nd place in the tournament.

Diamond Nation Memorial Day Blast Results

All in all the Rebels reconfirmed that they can compete with the best. Considering that no aspect of their game this weekend was as good as it can and should be – especially hitting – one has to continue to like the upside of the team from North Bellmore North Merrick Little League.

The Rebels will now be devoting their time and attention to preparations for 2012 Little League World Series Williamsport Tournament.

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