Sports Shorts

The Dayton Titans won the Hackensack Memorial Day Tournament by using hot bats and strong pitching to outscore their opponents 52-9 in four games. The first game on the road to the title was against the Ramapo Rangers, and the Titans ran and batted their way to a 14-3 mercy rule victory. Kyle Adams started the game on the hill for the Titans, and left the game claiming the win. Jack Spillane led the Titans' bats, with a bases-loaded grand slam in the top of the first inning to give the Titans a lead that would never be threatened.

The Titans' second game of the tournament was a 10-0 mercy-rule victory over the Montville Mustangs. Spillane hurled a complete game victory, and this time it was up to Colby Redfield to lead the Titans' hot hitting attack, crushing a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to end the game.

The Washington Township Cardinals were the next team to challenge the Titans, but the Titans rolled over Medford, 13-0. Jimmy Matt recorded the victory from the mound, with help from Dylan Mendal and Trevor Risdon. Ethan Collins supplied the big bat for the Titans in this game, nailing two doubles and a single, and driving in five runs.

The Titans met previous tournament winners the Wycoff Raiders in the championship game, and pounded their way to a 15-6 victory. Collins started the game on the mound to record the win, and Matt Von Roemer ended the game with an unassisted put-out from the mound to snuff a last-gasp Raiders rally with two men on and two outs. The Titans' run-scoring machine in the championship game was led by Vic Dudka, who socked a home run, a triple, and a single to keep the game out of reach for the Raiders. The Titans defense was led by catcher Redfield, whose cannon arm kept the Raiders from moving around the bases, and a couple of sparkling plays by second baseman Chucky LaSala, to kill Raider rallies.