For the second straight year, the 11-year-old Monroe Gold baseball team won the MTBA B Bash Tournament. Once again, the 11-yearolds got their summer travel season off to a fine start and went 4-0 to win the tournament.

The Gold won their first game, 13-0, against the Monmouth Rebels and followed that up with a 13-6 victory over the Colts Neck Cougars. That’s when it got interesting; the team needed a victory over a tough Marlboro team to advance to the championship game.

The Gold were trailing 4-3 going to their last at-bat, and in exciting fashion scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to win, 5- 4. That set up a championship match-up with longtime rival and neighbor East Brunswick.

East Brunswick scored six runs in the top half of the first inning, but they never gave up. The Gold team answered with five runs in the bottom half of the first, with the big blow being a three-run home run by Justin Spuma. ChristianQuijanowas superb on the hill as the Gold went on to win the championship, 12-7.

The defense, anchored by middle infielders Brandon Dudik, Brian Nichols, and Anthony Todaro, and outfielders Jordan Eisenberg, Luke Gorham, Jared Horowitz and Evan Pron, was excellent throughout the tournament. Matt Stepnowski and Justin Spuma were very good as the team’s workhorses on the mound. Newcomers Matt Donato, Andrew Isola and Sam Vella had big hit after big hit.

Coach Bob Dudik said, “This was a total team effort with all 13 players contributing both offensively and defensively. The team’s will to win was there from the first inning of the tournament to the last inning. I am very proud of the team’s effort and hard work.”

The Gold will next play in the Montgomery tournament before heading back to James Monroe Park to host the 2010 Cal Ripken District 9 tournament.