Millburn Baseball Losses In Semi-Finals

The Millburn 11-12 League baseball team ended its season with tough 5-4 loss to Watchung this past Wednesday.

Millburn finished second in the American East Division after its loss this , July 25 at Gero Park.

Millburn earned a bye in the first round, as second seed, of the New Providence Green League playoffs with a sterling 13-1 regular season record.  The starter, Max Steffen, hurled 4 strong innings, allowing  3 runs, 2 of which were earned, and struck out 6.  Matt Knowles closed the game with 2 innings of relief, allowing 2 runs, neither of which were earned, and struck out 3. 

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning, Millburn struck back with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning.  Jonathan Wang led off with a walk and stole second and third.  Knowles followed with a walk and also advanced on a steal.  Kyle Speckhart ripped a single to right field to score Wang.  Steffen followed with a sharp grounder that scored Knowles.  Millburn added another run in the 3^rd inning.  Wang reached on a infield single, advanced to 3^rd on an error, and scored on a misplayed rundown. 

After Watchung scored 2 runs in the fifth, Millburn was down 5-3 entering the bottom of the sixth.  Patrick Fitzsimmons led off with a walk and advanced to third on a bunt single by Wang.  Fitzsimmons scored on an RBI grounder by Knowles to complete the scoring and just fall short in the single elimination playoff.  

Other team members were Ben Kany, Kyle Farscht, Martine Lederman, Sam Meyerowitz, Joe Petrilli, Kush Shah, and Elijah Taitel.  Will Fitzgerald, Millburn High School, Class of 2012 coached the team.