Hopewell Fall Ball: Wrapping Up the Season with a Pumpkin Smash-Fun!

Saturday was one of those days you don’t forget, sunshine in the afternoon, lights on by the end of the night, and a whole lot of baseball in between. The Coach Pitch division wrapped up their fall ball season with the first-ever Hopewell Pumpkin Smash Tournament, featuring teams coached by Carl Santamaria, Justin Daley, and Zach Matthews.

It wasn’t about trophies or standings it was about the kids, the laughs, the families, and just watching how far everyone’s come since that first scorching hot practice back in August.

Team Matthews swung the bats hot all day, Team Daley showed off some great defense, and Team Santamaria brought the energy from start to finish. When the dust settled, Team Matthews took the top spot, with Team Santamaria close behind, but nobody left the field feeling like they lost.

Coach Zach Matthews summed it up perfectly: “The pumpkin tournament was a hit! All the kids got plenty of reps and the environment was relaxed and fun. Special thanks to the families who filled in to make it happen.”

Matthews couldn’t have been prouder of his team’s progress. “My kids have impressed me so much this year,” he said. “Emerson Romano hit his first-ever double and he just started playing baseball this fall! What an accomplishment. Cohen Biller was huge for us both at the plate and in the field making all three outs one inning earning the MVP from Coach Santamaria, and Tony Matthews had multiple hits and even turned a double play. Watching these kids grow and love the game has been the best part.”

Coach Santamaria shared a similar story. His team started off rough, losing their first four games despite plenty of practice. “We just kept working,” he said. “By the end, we went from getting mercy-ruled to putting up 30 hits and double-digit runs. The kids came alive. We even had a triple play by Dominic who laid out for a line drive snag, that’s wild for a bunch of 5-to-7-year-olds!”

For Coach Daley, the tournament was more than just the final games, it was a reminder of what Hopewell baseball is all about. “Transitioning from All-Stars to Fall Ball was a little tough,” he said, “but seeing our teams play each other like that, it reminded me how special this baseball community is. I hope we can keep this going and stay in-house like this, it’s good for the kids and the town.”

The day ended with pizza from our home town sponsors Gianni’s of Hopewell and Hopewell Sports Nation, desserts from parents, and plenty of smiles. Every player left with something, some hardware, candy, and all of them with memories from a season full of learning, teamwork, and fun.

At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about, baseball bringing families together, kids finding confidence, and everyone walking away a little better than when they started.

Triple Team Slideshow!!!

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