After repeating as state champions last week, Quakertown's American Legion baseball team has resumed its quest to reach the World Series. On Wednesday, the team opened play in the Mid-Atlantic Tournament in Ridge, MD.

            The Blue Jays were scheduled to open the double-elimination tournament against Brooklawn Post 72, the New Jersey state champions, at 12:30 p.m., at Joe Cannon Stadium.

            The defending Mid-Atlantic champion Brookers (27-6) needed a walk-off hit to register their 32nd state title. Jack Mustaro's grand slam in the New Jersey championship game lifted them to a 7-4 victory over Bordentown in Wood-Ridge, NJ.

            Shortstop Noan Danza, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. In four games, he went 6-for-12 with two home runs and eight RBIs in the four American Legion state tournament games.

            Last season, Brooklawn defeated the Blue Jays, 13-3, in the winners' bracket final on its way to its 19th national regional tournament victory. The team reached the penultimate day of the American Legion World Series, losing 4-1 to League City, Texas.

            Brooklawn has won four World Series titles (1991, 2001, 2013 and 2014). The team qualified for the national tournament in five straight seasons (2011 to 2015), reaching the title games in three straight years during that stretch.

            Last week, the Blue Jays (30-2) rode the pitching of Carl Weiss and the offense of Cooper Natisin to successfully defend their state championship. Weiss tossed a shutout in a 9-0 victory over Northeastern on Wednesday, July 31, in western Pennsylvania.

            He worked around five hits and three walks on Wednesday, July 31. Weiss struck out four to complete the 5-0 run through the tournament to receive the tournament's pitching award. He tossed 9 2/3 shutout innings and struck out eight.

            Natisin delivered two hits and drove in three runs en route to receiving the tournament's Most Valuable Player. He hit .368 with eight RBI and stole two bases. He earned one mound victory.

            Cole Reich, who added two hits and scored two runs in the title game, won the tournament's hitting award. He posted a .471 average and scored nine runs.

            With the bases loaded, Natisin's RBI single off Northeastern starter Conner Rippo triggered Post 242's three-run rally in the first inning. Two hitters later, Gerald Stanziola added a two-run hit.

            Three innings later, a two-run single by Natisin capped a three-run advantage. In the sixth inning, Weiss delivered a two-run single. Later, Gunnar Rahn, who worked a walk to lead off the inning, scored on an error.