Granite State Gamers notch milestone win

The Granite State Gamers 13u baseball team won its first game in program history, defeating the New Hampshire Knights in a 7-5 comeback win at Hollis on Saturday.

Starting pitcher Jeff Bell of Hooksett worked into the fourth inning, striking out six, and Mitchell Fama of Derry earned the win by pitching three innings without issuing a walk. The Manchester-based Gamers jumped out to a 4-0 lead, sparked with hits by Ryan Forkey of Derry, Brian Sutton of Hooksett and Mike Montembeault (two RBIs) of Manchester. Andrew Branchina of Derry ripped a single, and Riley Desmarais of Hooksett picked up a key RBI with a bases-loaded walk.

RHP Jeff Bell, Granite State Gamers

In the first game of the doubleheader, the host Knights defeated the Gamers, 14-9, despite three hits by Forkey and quality at-bats from Chase and Cole Dunajski of Derry and Matt Pinault of Manchester during a four-run rally by the Gamers. Righty Matt Reynolds of Manchester pitched four innings (seven strikeouts) in the tough-luck loss. Noah Wojtkowski of Nottingham and Branchina pitched in relief. The first-year Gamers play at Baseball Heaven in Long Island, N.Y., this weekend. The team owns a 1-1 record in the New England AAU open division standings.

Fundamentals of hitting

As a head coach of the AAU Granite State Gamers 13U baseball team, we talk a lot about being on time and ready to hit. This means having a proper load and developing a rhythm as the pitcher delivers. I like to see hitters stride and get down their front foot while remaining loaded or coiled. As you plant the front foot, practice keeping your front side "closed off" and firm at point of contact. We call this front leg resistance, something I have worked on camps with coach Kenny Joyce of the S.F. Giants. He always says, "Be on time. Be on plane. Be in rhythm." Check it out:

Here is one of our players showing a firm front side and generating a powerful swing by getting that foot down: