Whitehouse Post 284 Secures State Title Amid Storm Delays
Whitehouse Post 284 captured the New Jersey American Legion baseball state championship with a 15‑3 victory over Brooklawn Post 72 Red, a result that came after a series of thunderstorm delays that pushed the final innings into the evening.
The championship game finally concluded late Thursday at Jim Hynes Stadium on the campus of Kean University, where the two teams had to pause play as rolling thunderstorms rolled across the region.
Once the weather cleared, Whitehouse exploded for nine runs in the second inning and added six more in the third, turning a 2‑0 deficit into a commanding lead that they never relinquished.
Reid Bazydlo led the offensive onslaught with a 2‑for‑3 effort that included a triple, three runs scored and four RBIs, while Aidan Walsh contributed a 2‑for‑2 performance with a run and two RBIs. Gabe Arato earned the win on the mound after pitching three solid innings.
Supporting contributions came from Kellan Komline and Jack Markovich, each knocking in two runs, and Matty Dalfonso, who went 2‑for‑3 with two runs. Dante Bell had two hits, a run and an RBI for Brooklawn before the rain halted his momentum.
With the win, Whitehouse Post 284 advances to the Mid‑Atlantic Regional scheduled for August 6‑9 at Polar Park in Worcester, Massachusetts, where they will meet Pennsylvania champion Greater Pittston Post 501 in their opening game.
The triumph marks the third state title in the program’s history, previously earned in 2016 and 2009 under the name Flemington Post 159, and caps a season in which the team finished 31‑4.