USA wraps up FIBI with victory over International team

Julian Hunt took a bus from New York City to Pittsburgh earlier this week just to make sure he got a playing berth at the Freeport International Baseball Invitational.

The Queens, N.Y., resident finished his week with a big game in the USA-International game Saturday at James Swartz Memorial Stadium.

Playing for the International squad, Hunt drove home two runs in the first inning and later singled and scored, but his team came up short in an 8-6 contest.

“I actually hit better here last year, but this year I just couldn't seem to find it,” Hunt said about his stint as a member of the Brooklyn team. “We had to score. We were down 2-0, had to get on the board, so I did what I had to do. I try to be as clutch as I can.”

Hunt also made one of the game's top defensive plays in the top of the third.

While playing second base with the USA's Josh Lepish batting, shortstop Joey Hernandez of Puerto Rico had a hard-hit ball carom off his body. The ball rolled behind second base, but Hunt made the grab, rolled on his back toward the base and tagged it with his glove to end the inning.

“I've been playing baseball since I was four,” Hunt said. “It's just a reaction you make. You don't have time to think.”

One of the key hits for the USA team came off the bat of Kiski Area's Noah Hansen. He smacked a two-run single as the USA took the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning.

Soon after, Hansen helped engineer a double steal. He took second, and Andrew McIntyre raced home from third.

It has been a busy week for Hansen. His Palomino League team from Kiski Valley won a sectional playoff earlier this week.

“I just love it here. It's my second year here,” Hansen said. “I grew up watching all these kids play, and I always wanted to do it.”

Hansen and his teammates will return to Struthers, Ohio, next week and hope to earn a berth in the national finals the following week in Compton, Calif.

Before the game, players and others from Australia, Japan and Puerto Rico sang their respective national anthems before Jamie Phillips took over with a stirring rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The theme this week for the 21st annual FIBI was a tribute to Pirates Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. As a symbolic gesture, the entire International defensive team in the final inning was comprised of players from Puerto Rico.

Saturday was the 59th anniversary of Clemente's inside-the-park grand slam at Forbes Field against the Cincinnati Reds on July 25, 1956.

The game was halted in the bottom of the sixth in order to start the annual fireworks display, the traditional method of closing the five-day event.

Invitational organizers said that a team from France could be part of next year's lineup.

George Guido is a freelance writer.