Bombers 11U Win Fall Brawl Tournament
November 14, 2019
The 11U Bombers coached by Dustin Roach won their first fall tournament on September 14th-15th weekend in Swedesboro. It was the annual SJ Blue Jays Fall Brawl. This tournament was a wood bat tournament which was very new to these young players. The Bombers got an outstanding pitching performance by Mike Hall on the weekend.
Bombers Win Blast at the Beach
May 27, 2015
Four out of the five Bombers teams made the playoffs this past weekend in a very successful weekend for the program. The 14u Navy team, the same team who was crowned Blast at the Beach champions in 2013 at 12u, lost in the finals to the South Jersey Sandsharks by a score of 6-4.
Bombers finished Season at 43-15
September 17, 2013
Bombers finished Season at 43-15 with 128 home runs, 562 RBI’S, 612 runs scored and a team average of .414.
For many, playing at the 12U age level is a blast. Kids battle for years from the age of six to
eleven to hit their first home run and many do not accomplish this feat until twelve. It’s the year of the home run. Entering 2013, the Jersey State Bombers 12U squad had demonstrated lots of power and everyone expected a big year from the team. Most of the hitters on the team have been getting instruction from We Drop Bombs for 3-4 years and have really developed in to some fine young hitters. There are twelve year olds that impress and put up good numbers and then there are freak twelve year olds that just drop your jaw.
Through 57 games, Nate Liedtka put up an astonishing 125 RBI’S and blasted 38 home runs all while holding a solid batting average of .541. “Everyone in the stands looked forward to watching Nate come up to bat. They were all anxious to see what tree, building, car or sign he was going to hit on the other side of the fence. Liedtka’s home runs were always well hit over the fence and cleared it by several feet.” Said General Manager, Al Roach.
When it comes to power, Matty Christopher is a legend in his age group. Christopher is known for his rocket of an arm on the hill and spontaneous bat speed. He is the type of
hitter that will be blasting balls well over the fence through high school, college and possibly beyond. Through 58 games this season, Christopher collected 91 RBI’S on 31 Home Runs. He carried the offense with Liedtka while hitting .526 and leading the team with 94 runs scored.
While posting a 43-15 record, of those 15 losses, 7 games were lost by one or two runs. In addition not all games were necessarily played to only win but were rather factored in for development. Our number one goal is teaching the game of baseball and we need to give opportunities to players at different positions to help them prepare for playing high school and college.
“I am very proud of the team. They played well all season long and if they had a bad game, they bounced back right away.” Said coach Chris Murray. The 2013 spring and summer season was Murray’s last season as head coach as he will be stepping down in order to per sue his career in the mortgage business. “It’s hard for me to move past coaching as I really enjoyed it and had the opportunity to meet many nice people. Even though I will not be the head coach, I will still stop in here and there to catch a game when I can.” Said Murray.
Bombers 14-Red has 3 win weekend
July 12, 2013
On June 29th the 14-U Bombers took on the Wenonah Indians in an afternoon double header. In game one, Doug Ergood literally stole the show while stealing five bases. Doug’s brother, Joe Ergood went two for two with two runs scored and two RBI’s. First basemen, Joe Matlack also went two for two with two RBI’s. Tim Pasquale pounded a double in the contest and added three RBI’s. Pasquale also got the win while pitching five innings. He had five strikeouts and six earned runs. The final score was 12-7.
In game two, Joe Matlack threw six innings while striking out six and only giving up one earned. Paul Ravelli was one for one with a double and two RBI’s. Mike Dziuba was two for three with two runs scored while brother Matt Dziuba was one for two with two runs scored. The Bombers put up a monster eight run first inning which was capped off by Ravelli’s double. The final score ended in a 13-2 mercy.
On Sunday June 30th, the Bombers took a game from Gloucester TWP Baseball. Paul Ravelli got the nod by coach Lydon. Ravelli threw five innings and allowed no earned runs. He had four strikeouts. Offensively, Rich Ferrelli started the scoring by driving in the first run in the top of the fifth. Ethan Horner later added another one with another single. Doug Ergood doubled in and RBI and cap off a six run fifth inning for the Bombers. The game finished 6-0 through five innings.
“Overall I was impressed with the way they finished the games out. They didn’t quit at any point and they fought hard. I was glad to see the offense put up big numbers. We had 31 runs in the three games.” Said Coach Lydon.
Bombers 12 Blue Win Blast at the Beach Tournament
June 3, 2013
Liedtka, Graham & Christopher having field day with opponent’s pitching
20 games played: Team Batting AVG: .400, hits: 208, home runs: 45, RBI’s: 200
Through Memorial Day Weekend, the 12-U Jersey State Bombers Blue competed in the fifth annual Blast at the Beach tournament in Manahawkin, NJ.
On Saturday the team played a double header, first facing the Freehold Warriors, where Nate Liedtka got the nod. The combined pitching effort between Liedtka and Michael Rotindo kept the Warriors to only two runs. The offense was also powered by Nate Liedtka who hammered two home runs and collected 5 RBI’s in the contest. Matt Christopher was 2 for 3 and EJ Mangione was 2 for 2. Michael Rotindo had 3 RBI’s and Cooper Quigley had two RBI’s. The final score was Bombers 12 and the Warriors 2. The game was shortened to 4 innings with the ten run mercy rule in effect.
In game two on the day, the Bombers played the SEPA Knights who hail from south eastern Pennsylvania. They were no match for the Bombers bats once again as they put up double digit runs. Nate Liedtka hit his third home run of the tournament. There were doubles by Sean Dugan, Matt Christopher, Garrett Carella and Ryan Feig. Ryan Graham was 3 for 3, Sean Dugan was 2 for 3 and Nate Liedtka was two for three with 3 RBI’s. The Bombers defense was solid in this game as catcher EJ Mangione threw out two base-runners attempting to steal second base. The final score was 10-5.
On Sunday there was only one game played and it was against the Mayslanding Landsharks. This game also ended in 4 innings as the Bombers tacked on ten more runs in a 10-0 victory. Matty Christopher blasted two home runs in the game while collecting 4 RBI’s. Combined EJ Mangione and Nick Dziuba pitched a no hitter in the four inning game.
Going in to the playoffs on Monday, the Bombers were the number one seed in the tournament so they had a bye. Game one was played against the Mayslanding Muckdogs. The game was close 2-1 with the Muckdogs on top until the bottom of the 5th inning which is when the Bombers put up three runs to go ahead 4-2. Matt Christopher was 2 for 3 with a triple and an RBI. EJ Mangione and Nate Liedtka also both had RBI’s. Nate Liedtka started on the hill and threw three innings while striking out 4. Christopher finished the last three while only giving up two runs and striking out 5. The final ended up being 4-2 with the Bombers on top.
The championship game was no match for the Bombers offense as the power continued. There were three doubles in the contest, one from second basemen Garrett Carella, Utility player Nick Dziuba and outfielder Cooper Quigley. Home runs came off the bat of Carella, Ryan Feig, Ryan Graham and a grand slam by Nate Liedtka. Ryan Graham threw three innings while only giving up three runs and EJ Mangione finished off the fourth inning with a 1,2,3 inning. For the third time in their 5-0 performance in the tournament, the Bombers beat their opponent by 10 or more runs. The final score was 13-3 through four innings of play.
On the Season
- Nate Liedtka: .552 Avg, 5 doubles, 16 home runs and 61 RBI’s
- Ryan Graham: .533 Avg, 5 doubles, 8 home runs and 31 RBI’s
- Matt Christopher: .450 Avg, 5 doubles, 9 home runs and 28 RBI’s
Graham Blasts 5 Home Runs in Tournament
May 1, 2013
Over the weekend of April 27th & 28th, the Jersey State Bombers 12 Blue went 2-1 in a Tag-Em Tournament held in Hamilton, NJ.
The bats were definitely alive most of the weekend as the team pounded 11 home runs in the three games.
Ryan Graham connected for three home runs on Friday night, along with a solo home run by Ryan Feig and a two run shot by Nate Liedtka. However Graham was not done as he bounced back on Sunday with two grand slams in one game against the Hamilton A’s. Offensively, Graham carries a .630 batting average with 6 home runs and 22 RBI’s through seven games.
The Team is 6-1 so far with 20 home runs and a .484 team batting average.
On the season, Nate Liedtka leads the team with a .682 batting average. He also has three home runs and 21 RBI’s in just seven games. Sean Dugan is next on the board with a .647 average with three doubles and a home run. Garrett Carella is hitting .556 with two doubles and a home run.
Matty Christopher has played an important role both offensively and defensively. Christopher has 5 home runs and 16 RBI’s in just 7 games. He has really been dominating on the mound with a much improved fast ball. His off speed keeps hitters off balance and the positive behind it is that he can throw it for a strike pretty often.
They look to continue their season this weekend playing in Flemington, NJ in a Diamond Nation Tournament.
13 Red Wins War at the Shore
August 2, 2012
On the July 7th & 8th weekend, the Jersey State Bombers 13 Red squad went to battle in Cape May where they played in their last tournament of their season, The War at the Shore.
Throughout the tournament, the Bombers actually played up and competed against 14-U teams. The Bombers were able to go 4-0 beating three different teams. This marked the first Tournament win for the 13 Red Bombers this season. The final scores from each game were 10-3 vs Clifton Park A, 13-7 vs Clifton Park B, 9-3 vs Sting Rays Baseball and 10-2 in the Finals vs Clifton Park B.
The offense, defense and pitching were all very solid throughout the tournament. Routine plays were made in the field, pitchers threw strikes and there was plenty of timely hitting. Pitchers, Max Szamreta, Robby Koveleskie and Carl Phillips did a great job at keeping the opponents off balance at the plate. In addition Jake Fernandez and Robby Koveleskie made some fantastic catches in the outfield keeping us in every game.
Congratulations to the 13 Red.
11-U Blue Team Performance
August 1, 2012
11yr old Blue Team posted 47 Home Runs and a Team Batting Average of almost .400
For the 11-Blue team, success was expected for the 2012 spring/summer season, however
injuries definitely prevented the team from performing at their full potential.
Even with injuries the team was able to post 47 home runs which is not something you hear
every day. “I never imagined an 11 year old team hitting this well. Just about every team we
played had somewhere between 1-20 home runs as a team, with anything above 15 being
uncommon. I looked forward to coming to every game. Al has done a great job working with
the kids on their swing and I’m not so sure what to expect for the fall.” said coach Murray.
In one tournament at Sports at the Beach, they collected 8 of their team’s 47 home runs.
| Player | Average | Doubles | Triples | Homeruns | RBI |
| Ryan Graham | 420 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 48 |
| Sean Dugan | 408 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 36 |
| Matt Christopher | 458 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 56 |
| Nate Liedtka | 453 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 52 |
| EJ Mangione | 396 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 33 |
| Nick Dziuba | 363 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 42 |
| Cooper Quigley | 304 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 21 |
| Dylan Kleiner | 328 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 40 |
| Ryan Feig | 393 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 23 |
| Garrett Carella | 337 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| Max Sakach | 327 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
On Fire
June 6, 2012
Herman & Knapp A Hit on the Hill
Tyler Herman and Josh Knapp can deal all day and against any team. Herman threw a complete game shut out Saturday in Game one of the Ocean County Slug-fest Tournament. He only allowed two hits and two walks while striking out three. Josh Knapp threw six scoreless innings in game two of the Ocean County Slug-Fest. Knapp posted six strike outs while only allowing two hits and one walk. The offense didn’t exactly help the situation which is why the 13U Bombers Blue went 1-1 in day one of the tournament.
Mike Christopher is ripping the cover off the ball for 13 Blue. He is leading the team in several different categories. His team high’s are in AVG. .462, Hits 12, Doubles 4, On Base Percentage .588, Slugging Percentage .615 and OPS (On Base-Plus-Slugging) 1.204. Christopher’s mental approach at the plate is really paying off. He is confident, swinging at the right pitches and he is relaxed, which are the top three things in having a great mental approach. Way to go Slugger!!!!
11-U Offense Dirty
11-U Blue’s Nate Liedtka has been powering up as of lately. He has an astonishing 5 home runs in his last 8 games. The season stats show that the slugger’s doing his job as a middle of the line up hitter. Liedtka has a .457 batting average with 3 doubles, 5 home runs, 17 RBI’s and an impressive .846 slugging percentage. “Liedtka has definitely been a big contributor to the team’s 137 runs scored for the 14-5 Bombers. We are happy to have him on our squad and we look forward to every time he gets up to bat”, said Coach Murray.
Matty Christopher blasted two home runs on Saturday May 5th to help the Bombers get their 7th straight league win against Next Level Baseball. Christopher, just like his brother, leads his team in several categories. Matt’s team leading categories are his .489 batting average, 7 doubles, 6 home runs, OBP .593, SLUGG 1.021 and Cockiness when he hit’s a bomb 9,999,999,999,999.
Dylan Kleiner (pictured) hit his first home run as a Bomber as he cleared the 220 foot fence in Mansfield on Sunday, May 6th. Kleiner has been hitting more consistent lately and has boosted his average near the .300 mark.
Ryan Feig also hit his second homer of the season on Sunday, May 6th. Feig carries a .419 average with 2 doubles and 2 home runs on the season.
Ryan Graham is also lights out on the hill. He is keeping the ball down and striking out hitters at will. “When we need to shut the door on the other team, Ryan is the man for the job.” said Coach Murray.
11-U Red’s three hole hitter, Jarrad Dittmer, has been pretty consistent all season. He leads his team in hits (18), average (.581), doubles (6), triples (1), home runs (1), RBI’s (12), OBP (.639) & Slugging (.935). The bottom line is, he is the MAN.
Derek Thomas seems to be one of the more dominating pitchers in the league. Thomas is throwing complete games and having much success. His fastball is straight cheese as he paints the outside corner fanning and freezing up hitters. Thomas is also helping himself out when he pitches by hitting the ball well. He is third on the team with a .409 batting average and a solid .500 on base percentage.
Ryan Wainwright is second on the 11 Red in average (.500) and RBI’s (10). Wainwright is holding up strong on defense and coming up big on the mound holding opponents to just a few runs per game. “The ability to utilize Ryan at first, third, pitcher and catcher has helped us is so many ways defensively. He is fundamentally sound and I am glad to have him on my team”, said Coach Taylor.
10-U Showing Some Good Signs
The first year 10-U Bombers are starting to come together. The offense is sparked by Ian, the Tazmanian Devil, Long who is currently leading the team in hits (17) AVG (.425) and RBI’s (14), what a stud.
Chase Cooper, the leadoff man, is second in AVG (.421) and OBP (.542). “I really like him in the lead-off spot and when he gets on, I know we are going to score runs,” said Coach Leadbeater.
Jon Brown and Austin Angradi are both at the .400 mark. Brown has 5 RBI’s, 10 Walks and a .535 OBP. Angradi has 8 RBI’s, 9 walks and a .561 OBP. “We couldnt ask for more out of these two as of lately, we really hope they keep swinging it like they are,” said Coach Leadbeater. “I really like Jon Brown’s athletic ability, very flexibile, quick and coordinated. He is going to keep progressing and I see a strong future for him in baseball. I also see a lot of improvement in Angradi from when he first started coming to our facility in the fall, his swing is a world of difference and he has the ability to really do some damage in the middle of the line up if he gets his pitch.” said GM Roach.
Evan Grzeskiewicz and Christian Overton are holding their own at the .303 mark. “Both of these players give everything they have every game to help the team win. They both show great signs of coachability and are getting better and better every day.” Said GM Roach.
Mike Ott, Lloyd McLaughlin, Ivan Ruble, Dominic Rodriguez and Tyrese Williams are all pulling together and starting to hit the ball. They are starting to get comfortable and relax more at the plate compared to earlier in the season. The results show as they are poking line drives now and again through the infield.
