I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it. ~ Sandy Koufax
By Maryanne Saxon
Twelve-year-old Daniel Douenias is a really swell kid. He is smart, personable, and fun-loving; a great swimmer, and a player on Morristown American Little League’s Woodland Hook and Ladder majors team.
His parents think he is as perfect as they come… and they have a game ball to prove it!
On Tuesday, May 24, 2016, during the last regular season game against MAALL’s Stifel team, Douenias pitched a perfect game.
The redheaded southpaw gave up zero walks, and his Woodland teammates made every play that came their way. No runs were earned by the opposing team during the five-inning game, resulting in a 10-0 mercy ruling in Woodland’s favor.
When the game ended, Bob Willette, Woodland head coach, gathered the boys in the dugout to celebrate the victory and honor the accomplishment.
“A game like this is special, no matter what level of play — Major League, college, high school, or Little League. A perfect game happens because of the entire team. Daniel was on the mound doing his job, and each player behind him was doing his.
“I have been coaching Daniel since he was 7 years old… he has come a long way. This game is a testament to his committed practice, his physicality, his strength, and the extra playing time he spent with his travel team, the Shamrocks. All of it lead to this success.”
So, the big question: When did fans and players begin to realize a perfect game was in the works?
For coach and pitcher, it was at the end of the fourth inning. After the first three innings, the scoreboard read 0-0. Thanks to the home team advantage, Woodland closed out the fourth with five runs on the board, changing both the score and tide of the game.
No one dared to mutter the “P word” just yet, but it was definitely on the brain. Even after shutting out Stifel in the fifth, no one attempted a purrrr….but everyone realized it was possible.
Perfection finally was realized in the bottom of the fifth. Woodland was up 9- 0. As if a five-inning shut-out wasn’t enough, it was Douenias’s double down the right field line that ultimately locked in the 10-0 victory, adding a quintessential cherry to the top of an unforgettable evening.
Daniel’s mom, Michelle Douenias, was in the stands during the game.
“Honestly, I didn’t realize what was going on until it was all over,” she shared with a smile. Steve Douenias learned of his son’s feat when he received a one-word text message from assistant coach Tom Myers: “Perfecto” said it all.
Although he was disappointed to miss the monumental event, Steve Douenias was able to look at the bright side.
“If I had been at the game, I’m confident I would have keyed into what was happening… and honestly, I would have been hiding behind the dugout too nervous to watch it all go down. I would have missed the action even if I was there!”
When asked about his performance during the perfect game, the pitcher had this to say: “My team did a great job in the field.” Proving that his proud parents have every right to gloat about their perfect son and humble ballplayer.
Next week kicks off the MAALL playoffs. Douenias’s team is ranked third going into the games. With all this chatter about their perfect game going on, Woodland Hook and Ladder player Matthew DeAngelis thinks his team is considered a “deep threat” to all the other majors teams this playoff season.
Although not yet coach-confirmed, Daniel Douenias, # 4, is fairly certain he will be pitching in the playoffs.
Come out and cheer on all the MAALL teams. Playoff games run from May 31-June 11, 2016. Visit the MAALL website for game schedules and more.
