Monroe, NJ – On a cool, rainy morning, the Jersey Barons and New Jersey Bulldogs met up for the first time in many years, since their days in the Roy Campanella Leagues. Both teams are much different than their initial battles on the diamond, with many new talented players on both sides. But the same intense rivalry remains and would shine through with another classic nine-inning ballgame today.

A miscommunication before the game prevented Barons starter Aaron Kalb from properly loosening up, causing Kalb to come in cold and use the 1st inning as a warm-up. That is never a good idea against a team like the Bulldogs with so many good hitters, and Kalb surrendered four runs on three hits and two walks. Although AK never had his best stuff, those were the last earned runs the ‘dogs would score off him. The Baron defense put the team further in the hole with some shoddy plays in the 4th and 5th innings, yielding three more runs for the Bulldogs and giving them a 7-2 lead after 5.

What occurred next was a display of heart, tactical managerial moves, and the chipping away of a significant deficit. As Kalb left the mound after 5 complete innings, the deep Barons pitching staff showed that they are no one-trick-pony by rolling out the likes of Matt Woehnker for two scoreless innings that kept the vaunted Bulldog offense at bay. Behind Wenky on the diamond, the Baron glove-men picked up their play by turning two double plays and limiting any mistakes that would have lead to an even larger hurdle to overcome. With the sticks, the Barons would chip away at the deficit with one run in the 6th and two in the 7th, closing the gap to a 7-5 Bulldog advantage. A ground-rule double call on LF Matt Mazon’s shot in the 7th cost the Barons another run, as Mazon’s hit rolled into the woods in deep left field and kept C Pat Santorsola from scoring from first base, despite being half-way between third and home when the call was made.

Barons Co-Ace, Craig Tscherednikov, came into the game for the 8th and 9th innings, and missed just a little bit on his first pitch. Normally that wouldn't be too much of a problem, but when past-Baron great Jesse Boles sees an opportunity at bat, he often doesn't miss it. Boles sent the ball flying deep to left for a long home run, putting his former team a little further behind, 8-5.

But in the bottom of the 8th, in championship fashion the Barons utilized some timely hitting, patient eyes, and a pair of booming triples to plate five runs and come all the way back to tie and then take their first lead of the game with an offense lead by 2B Chris Fucci, RF Mario Spallarossa, Santorsola, Kalb, and Mazon. 1B Chris Jeffray got the inning started by taking one square in the back, the third Baron to get hit by a pitch in the game. CF Tom Greene then walked, putting two on for AK47. Kalb hit a ground ball to 2B that could have been a routine double play, but a throwing error to second allowed Jeffray to score and Greene and Kalb to advance to 2nd and 3rd on the play, setting the table for the Barons veteran slugger, Chris Fucci.

Fooch boomed a long triple that scored both Greene and Kalb to knot the score, and the Barons were now rolling. Not to be outdone, Spallarossa brought back one of the patented Barons Bash Brother moments from years gone by and launched his own triple to score Fucci and take the lead. With plenty of experience behind them, the Barons knew they couldn't let up and 5-time Manager of the Year Phil Barone singled home Super Mario to go up by two runs, 10-8.

Trying to nail down the win in the top of the 9th, Tscherednikov hit the leadoff batter, but almost got out of the inning unscathed with a 4-6 putout that just missed being another Baron double play, and then a strikeout. Up stepped leadoff man and longtime Bulldog Chuck Harvath, who ripped a clutch two-out, RBI triple to inch the score tighter at 10-9, Barons. But with two outs and the tying run on third, Craig T. stepped up his game and bore down on one of the hottest hitters in the league and the current league RBI leader, striking out the former Baron All-Star Bret Santucci to seal the victory.