By GEORGE O’GORMAN
gogorman@trentonian.com
HAMILTON — Jonathan Lugo made sure his Hightstown Babe Ruth League 15-year-old all-stars got just what they came to Switlik Park looking for last night.
Getting out to the quick lead like they wanted to do by scoring seven first inning runs, Lugo took it from there to lead Hightstown to an 11-1 win over Ewing in a first round District One game stopped by the 10-run rule after five innings.
“What we did tonight should be a statement,” said Lugo, who went the distance, striking out six and allowing only four hits - three of them by Ewing’s Mike Salvatore.
The win brings Hightstown back tomorrow afternoon to take on the winner of this morning’s 10 a.m. Trenton/West Windsor game. Ewing falls into the elimination bracket and will next face the Trenton/WW-P loser tomorrow afternoon.
The tournament has three games on tap today starting with Trenton/WW-P, followed by Nottingham/Hopewell Valley in a 1 p.m. elimination game, then the second round showdown at 4 p.m. between Hamilton and Western Monmouoth. The Trenton/WW-P and Hamilton/WEMO games will be broadcast on WRRC ‘The Bronc’ (107.7 FM).
Hightstown staked Lugo to a 7-run cushion before her ever stepped on the mound. It jumped on Ewing starter Matt Fowler, who lasted only a third of an inning. Hightstown scored seven runs in the first as 12 batters came to trhe plate. It collected only four hits, with two errors plating three runs.
Lugo had the first of his two hits and drove in two runs in the inning.
Salvatore got Ewing’s first hit with a single in the first, and drove in its first run with a double in the third to plate John Prieto whio had singled to open the inning, Patrick McNulty provided Hightstown with its 10-run cushion in the fourth when he lined a 2-run single over shortstop to the left field alley.
Salvatore got his third hit to finish 3-for-3 with a 2-out single in the bottom of the fifth.
“The biggest thing we wanted to do was get on top of them early,” said Lugo, who will enter his sophomore year at Notre Dame this fall. He didn’t have a decision for an 11-1 ND freshman squad this past spring.
“I was trying to keep the hit count low tonight, but Salvatore is a very good hitter. I felt pretty good throughout the game,” said Lugo.
Hightstown (1-0) 702 20 — 11 6 1
Ewing (0-1)  001 00 — 1 4 3
WP - Lugo. LP - Fowler.
2B-E: Salvatore; H: Lugo, McNulty.  RBI - E: Salvatore; H: Lugo 2, McNulty 2, Petak, Tuohy, Tierney.