(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) caption: TAYLOR MADE: Colin Taylor of the Princeton Little League 11-year-old all star team fires a pitch in Princeton’s 5-4 win over Sunnybrae last Monday in the Final Four playoff round of the District 12 round. Princeton was slated to play Ewing in a winners’ bracket game on July 20 at Cranbury-Plainsboro Community Park. The team will play again on either July 22 or 23 depending on the outcome of Tuesday’s game.

Overcoming Adversity to Click at Right Time, Princeton 11s Advance in District 12 Tourney

Bill Alden

Matt Frawley didn’t like what he saw in the early going last Friday evening as his Princeton Little League 11-year-old all stars faced East Windsor in District 12 tournament play.

With Princeton coming off a disappointing lost to Cranbury-Plainsboro and then having two games postponed due to rainouts, manager Frawley cringed as the team started the bottom of the first inning by making two easy outs.

Frawley brightened up as his team scratched out a run in the frame to take a 1-0 lead. Princeton got into a rhythm later in the contest as it scored two runs in the third and then tacked on four in the fourth on the way to a 7-2 victory.

Afterward, a relieved Frawley acknowledged that his team’s slow start Friday had him a bit concerned.

“I think we got out of the sluggishness that we had in the C-P game and the beginning of this game,” said Frawley, who got big hits in the win from Joaquin Burt, Colin Taylor, Tim Frawley, and Matt Lambert. “We kind of shook that off and by the end we were really clicking.”

In cruising past East Windsor, Princeton excelled in all phases of the game. “It was a total team effort,” said Frawley.

“On defense, we looked really good. I was pleased with that. Our bats were a little spotty but they came alive when we needed it to get the win. The pitching was great. Joaquin Burt was great; we just wanted him to get loose. Colin Taylor and Matt Lambert were both great. We had Owen Smith close and he looked the best I have seen him so far this season.”

Princeton went on to extend its season as it edged Millstone Roosevelt 2-1 on Saturday to lock up a spot in the tournament’s Final 4 playoff round.

“We had a thriller against Millstone-Roosevelt which was the key game for us to advance,” said Frawley, whose team started Final 4 play by edging Sunnybrae 5-4 last Monday and was slated to play Ewing in a winners’ bracket game on July 20.

“Teddy Martilla pitched an absolute gem, going all six innings allowing only one run. We won the game in the bottom of the sixth. It was one of the best games I’ve had the privilege to experience.”

For Frawley, it has been a privilege to see his team overcome adversity on the way to its success this summer.

“It’s been a tough summer. We have had two guys with broken limbs in the late spring and we are still not quite 100 percent but the team has done pretty well,” said Frawley, noting that the team has been without cleanup hitter Tommy Pecora due to a concussion.

“We had such a magical season last year; everything clicked at the right time and to end up fourth in the district was really great. I think we could still do that.”

While Princeton could do even better than that this summer, the team has already shown a championship spirit.

“The nice thing is that they are really great kids,” said Frawley, whose club will play again on either July 22 or 23 depending on the outcome of Tuesday’s game.

“A lot of these kids have been playing together since they were six or seven years old. They live pretty close to each other. They all like each other and they are like a pack. I love it; they stick together.”

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