PURCELLVILLE, VIRGINIA- Matt Busher has pitched in some big baseball games in 2016, both for his North Jersey, Group 2 NJSIAA Sectional champion North Hunterdon team and for Flemington Post 159. But what the 16-year-old has done in his last two starts may go down as one of his best weeks on the hill in his budding career. Less than...
PURCELLVILLE, VIRGINIA- Matt Busher has pitched in some big baseball games in 2016, both for his North Jersey, Group 2 NJSIAA Sectional champion North Hunterdon team and for Flemington Post 159.
But what the 16-year-old has done in his last two starts may go down as one of his best weeks on the hill in his budding career.
Less than a week after limiting the six-time defending New Jersey State American Legion baseball champions Brooklawn Post 72 to no runs in six innings of work in the state final, Busher came back in a must-win game for the Indians and held the Delaware state champs just three hits, and a lone run, in the 4-1 Flemington victory Thursday morning.
It kept the Indians alive, and moved them into Friday's noon game with the Pennsylvania runner-up, Blackhawk.
Rising junior Busher, who also lines up under center for the Lions football team in the fall, has now given up just one run against two of the best hitting lineups in the region in the past week.
Busher, Flemington, win NJ Legion Title
"Today was a big game especially coming off that tough loss on day one," Busher said. "I was coming into the game really trying to do the same thing as the state final, pound the zone. I was throwing both my fastball and slider for strikes and even mixed in my changeup a couple times to keep them off balance. Overall, it was a great game to get us back on the right track."
Flemington manager Steve Farsiou knew his team had the moxie to fight back from a 4-0 opening game loss Wednesday to Pennsylvania state champion Swoyersville.
"Obviously, the first day was tough," Farsiou said. "They were a very good team, with a great pitcher. But as good as they were, we just didn't play well. But we are back to what we normally are today."
"We have our backs against the wall now, but we seem to play well in that situation," Farsiou said. "We seem to like being in this spot."
"Today, Matt Busher beat one of the best lineups I have seen," Farsiou said. "That Delaware team is loaded with college players and seniors."
Busher went 4-1 for North Hunterdon in the spring, as a sophomore, and those games gave him the confidence to think he could come into a powerful Flemington team looking to dethrone Brooklawn, and avenge a 2015 title game loss.
"The North Hunterdon season definitely gave me a lot of confidence coming into this summer," Busher said. "Especially pitching, because I started a couple games and even came in in relief towards the end of the year. It gave me the confidence that I could become a dominant force on the bump."
With the possibility of the Indians making a deep run still intact, the prospect of Busher coming back for a few innings on Sunday, if they can get there, is on the table.
"I feel that if we make it to Sunday, I could definitely go a couple innings," Busher said. "As long as I take care of my arm these next couple days, there is a very good chance that I can be ready to go."
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean