COOPERSTOWN DREAMS PARK All editorial courtesy of Cooperstown Dreams Park; Photos by Justin Martin Week #2 June 13 - 19, 2009 • Cougars Roar in Final

Week #1 June 6 - 12, 2009 n a cool Thursday night in June, the #2 seed Lamorinda Cougars from Undefeated Tamiami Outlaws Win Championship California defeated the #4 seeded Chiefs of Georgia 7 Oto 4 for the Cooperstown Dreams Park Week 2 Championship. It eek one for 2009 is in the record books as two teams from was a well played baseball game under the lights at Little Majors Stadium Florida battled for the championship at Cooperstown Dreams where both teams played well enough to win. The Cougars rode the right WPark. A total of one hundred and two teams were vying for the arm of Daniel Slominski as he went the distance for the complete game victo- title. The #9 Tamiami Outlaws from Miami defeated the #3 Meteors ry. The championship for the Lamorinda Cougars came from solid defense and timely - Baseball team from Sarasota by scoring in five of the six in a 15-3 ting, which included 4 home runs in the championship game. victory at Little Majors Stadium. The Cougars however, were not in control for the entire game. In the top of the first The Outlaws jumped to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first when Willie Padron Tamiami Outlaws inning, the smoke from the pre game fireworks still lingered as Chiefs Baseball put up a scored from second for the Outlaws following an . Josniel Cid scored after a hit quick two spot. Bronco O’Brien hacked at the first pitch of the game and Alex Valverde from Jaleel Del Valle with the bases loaded. Hector Abreu singled off of sent a rocket line drive into left field. Two pitches later, Jalen Miller sent a high outside Meteors Baseball relief Cody Brickhouse, scoring Sergio Lopez. David Guevara to the bleachers in the right-center gap giving Chiefs Baseball a 2 to 0 lead three Lamorinda Cougars scored on a fielder’s choice hit by Reny Tolentino. The scoring continued in the second for pitches into the game. In the top of the second a throwing error and two walks gave the the Outlaws, as Nelson Montilla and David Silva both scored after a Meteors Baseball Chiefs base runners as they tacked on another on an RBI from Johnny error. Sergio Lopez then pounded a two-run homerun, bringing in Josniel Cid. Meteors Register. The Chiefs second inning Powwow was halted after a crisp 2-4-2 exchange on Baseball answered in the bottom half of the second inning, as Nick Blasucci hit a three- a first and third steal attempt, and a clutch by Slominski. In the bottom of the run homerun to left field. That would be all the scoring for Meteors Baseball. Alex second, Lamorinda showed signs of life in the batter’s box when Lucas Herbert jumped Valverde came in to pitch 3 1/3 innings of shutout baseball for the Outlaws to hold off on the first pitch he saw for a solo homer. The next hitter, Joe Demers, outdid his team- Meteors Baseball’s offensive attack and get the win. Tamiami continued to pile on the mate and launched a missile half way up the hill in right-center. Chiefs Baseball runs. Reny Tolentino hit a two-run bomb in the top of the third inning off of Cody answered back with in the top of the third by Jason Heinrich that made the score 4 to 2 and put Slominski back in the oven. After two walks, Daniel settled down and Brickhouse. Alex Valverde added a three-run homer off of Zak Wilson in the fourth. David Meteors Baseball Silva added RBI singles in the fourth and sixth innings as well to make the score 15-3. made some good pitches to get out of the inning and keep the damage at 4 to 2. Meteors Baseball, coached by Ron Filipkowski, had a pretty easy time making it to the beat the #8 Viper Baseball Academy of Lamorinda scored a run in the bottom of the third on a fielder’s choice and set the stage for what turned out to be the key moment of the game. It was the bottom of the third with Week #1 championship game. They defeated the #30 North Texas Titans 16-4 to open Alabama 11-9. The #17 DBAT Mustangs-Red Chiefs Baseball their set of elimination play. They then went on to beat #19 Team Bama in a 12-11 nail- of Texas were the Outlaws’ next victims as Chiefs Baseball up 4 to 3. Matt Bicker stood on second and Daniel Slominski stepped to biter. Next up for Meteors Baseball was #11 Sal Urso’s High Performance of Florida, who they were defeated by a score of 13-5. The the plate for Lamorinda. Johnny Register got ahead of Slominski with two hard sliders. they beat 20-1. In their semifinal game, Meteors Baseball defeated the #7 East Cobb Outlaws then defeated the #21 Panthers Slominski stepped out of the box, collected himself, and tattooed Register’s 0-2 fastball with a 57-9 record, and tournament wins that Braves of Georgia 8-2. Julio Cabrera’s Tamiami Outlaws took a similar path to Baseball of Alabama 3-0 to set the stage for out of Little Major’s Stadium. Two pitches later Lucas Herbert belted a homer making it include the U10 Cooperstown Dreams Park their Week #1 championship. They first defeated the #24 Orlando Gators 12-5. They next the Week #1 championship game. his second of the night. The Cougars scored a fifth run of the inning on a mak- Championship in 2007. The Lamorinda ing the score 7 to 4. Lamorinda took the lead in the bottom of the third and never looked Cougars from Moraga, California had a back. Slominski took the hill in the fourth inning with a different look in his eyes. He was smooth ride to the championship and beat settled down and wasted no time with Chiefs Baseball hitters. He changed speeds well the #3 seed South Florida Fire, 7 to 4 in the and didn’t allow a base runner in the final 3 innings and struck out five of the last nine semifinal game. Rick Rider coaches the Week #3 June 20 - 27, 2009 • Bandits Steal the Show and Win 10U Title batters. Jason Heinrich relieved Register for the Chiefs and struck out six of the eight bat- Cougars who post a resume that includes a ters he faced. TBS National Championship and USSSA he #14 seed Bandits Baseball from Ringgold, Georgia won the Cooperstown Chiefs Baseball cruised through the tournament round outscoring opponents 54-8. Elite World Championship of 2008. Dreams Park Week #3 championship, defeating the #4 seed 6-4-3 DP Coached by Charles Culberson, the Chiefs, from Calhoun, Georgia, came into the game TBaseball Academy Cougars from Roswell, Georgia 10 to 0. The rain was ominous Thursday afternoon but cleared up just in time for fire- works and championship baseball at Little Majors Stadium. Will Hardigree tossed a complete game shutout for Bandits Baseball striking out five and scattering three hits in his six innings of work. Offensively, it was a complete ered sixteen pitches in innings 3-5. team effort for Bandits Baseball having seven players score runs, with eight players bat- For the 6-4-3 DP Baseball Academy ting in a run. Cougars Zach Williams had one hit A five run inning for Bandits Baseball in the second proved to be the momentum for Bandits Baseball to go along with not allowing a base their victory but the run they scored in the top of the first was the most important, turn- runner in the four batters he faced ing out to be the highlight of the game. In a championship game where the lights are as a relief pitcher. bright and the pressure is on, the top of the first inning is always significant. The first run The Championship game was full scored is essential to a baseball game, because then it takes two runs scored by the of familiar faces making Thursday opposition to beat you. Hunter Moody for the 6-4-3 DP Baseball Academy Cougars was night’s contest the sixth meeting the starting pitcher and delivered a strike right down Meisenheimer Street past the look- between the two Georgia clubs this ing eyes of Cole Shelton. Two pitches later, Shelton ripped a fastball for a leadoff year. The #4 seed 6-4-3 DP and put the wheels in motion for the inning. Tucker Bradley then grounded out to second Baseball Academy Cougars held a and successfully advanced Shelton to third base giving Bandits Baseball a great scoring record of 59-2 coming into the opportunity. This brought Sean Coakley to bat with one out and a man on third. Sean championship game and has won only saw four pitches in the at-bat but there was strategy involved in all four. Moody fourteen tournaments. Their path delivered the first pitch and the squeeze was on. The attempt from Coakley rolled through the tournament included foul on the third base side. The next two pitches from Webb were pitchouts and Cole 6-4-3 DP Baseball Academy Cougars wins against the #5 seeded team Shelton stayed tight at third base on both. 6-4-3 decided the squeeze was off and decid- TABU (CA), and the #1 seed San ed to pitch something hittable with the 2-1 . On the fourth pitch, the squeeze was Diego Stars North (CA). The #14 back on and Shelton was blazing down the line with the pitch in the air. Coakley made Other highlights from the game include; seed Champions, Bandits Baseball, the adjustment from his first attempt and let the ball come deep in the zone rather than Cole Shelton had two hits and scored three beat the likes of #6 seed Texas reaching out for the pitch. His adjustment led to a picture perfect bunt not too hard, but times to go along with his great coverage of Nationals Team (TX), and the #2 back to the pitcher. Shelton scored with ease and Sean Coakley ran back to the Center Field. Will Hardigree retired eleven seed Mizuno’s Glory Baseball (FL). with what turned out to be the game winning RBI. batters in a row at one point and only deliv- COOPERSTOWN DREAMS PARK Week #5 July 4-10, 2009 Week #4 June 28 - July 3, 2009 Hayes & Shirey lead Houston Sox to Championship Luken Baker Propels Team Rattlers in Championship Walk off he top seeded Houston Sox from Texas defeated the #11 Georgia Legends he top seeded Team Rattlers from The Woodlands in Texas edged the third from Dalton, Georgia, in an exciting 5 to 1 ballgame. Ke’Bryan Hayes lead the seeded TABU from Fremont, California, 4 to 3, for the Week #4 championship. TSox with six strong innings of work on the mound and an impor- TTeam Rattlers broke a 3 all tie in the bottom of the sixth inning in tant first inning RBI. Other offense for the Sox was a two-run dinger from dramatic fashion with a walk off home run by Luken Baker. Rains throughout Zach Shirey in the second inning and hits from Daniel Lopez III and Jacob the day delayed tournament play from the “Sweet 16” games which started Alexander. A standout for the Legends was Blake Hamilton who pitched 3.2 at 8:30 in the morning and concluded after 3 in the afternoon to the “Elite 8”, innings of relief allowing just one run and recording six . “Semi-Finals and finally the championship game which started after midnight The three run inning for the Houston Sox in the second put them up 4 to 0 and it but it couldn’t take away from another exciting Thursday night of championship seemed like it was well enough to win the game. The Legends’ hitters were off balance Houston Sox baseball at Little Majors Stadium. Team Rattlers and could not make sense of Ke’Bryan Hayes’ off speed pitch. Hayes was in control of If it is possible for a 4 to 3 game to be a pitcher’s duel then this week’s championship the game recording eleven strikeouts on the evening and only allowed three base run- was just that. Beau Ridgeway started the game for the Team Rattlers and had ten strike- ners in the first five innings of the game. Two singles in the bottom of the fifth by outs in the first four innings which included striking out the side in both the second and Johnathon Slepka and Kendal Jeffries lead to an insurance run for Houston which made third. Bryce Dyrda was up to the match for TABU as he scattered four hits while striking the game seem well at hand. The Sox were up 5 to 0 and were three outs from winning out nine. Both teams combined for nine hits, four of which were solo home runs and all the week #5 championship. If someone once said that the last three outs of a baseball coming in key moments of the game. Luken Baker homered for the Rattlers in the bot- game were the hardest of the game, everyone in attendance at Little Major’s Stadium tom of the fourth as the Texas team took a 2-0 lead through four. Then it was TABU time would agree as the Georgia Legends loaded the bases but could only bring one run as Bailey Gaither homered in the top of the fifth. Up to that point TABU had just two hits across while falling just feet short of a possible game tying home run that left everyone and Team Rattlers pitcher Beau Ridgeway was making fast work with the TABU lineup. holding their breath. The Houston Sox won the championship and manager Charlie Gaither stood in with a 2-2 count, his team trailing 2 to 0, when he crushed a high fast- Hayes raised his arms just as high as he did at third base in 1996. Thirteen years ago ball through the looming fog and over the fence in left-center. It was just what TABU he was the third baseman for the World Champion . In 2009, a coach needed! Gaither was the catalyst for the three run inning that put TABU up by one, 3 to and a very proud father! Georgia Legends 2. In the bottom of the inning Ryan Johnson turned on an inside fastball and sent a TABU The road to the championship for the runner-up Georgia Legends included victories frozen rope line drive out of the stadium that tied the game at 3. In the sixth inning Team against the #6 Santa Clarita Cubs from California and the #7 Carolina Cubs of South Rattlers brought in Jerry Murillo in relief. Murillo hit the first batter Matt Tarantino, but Carolina. Coached by Mark Roberts, the Legends came into the game with a 53-12 Hill Hawks of California and the #4 The dodged a bullet by making good pitches to get put of the inning. Now it was walk off time The Team Rattlers were managed by Dave record. The #1 Houston Sox cruised into the championship game by defeating the #32 Future of Illinois. as Luken Baker came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Baker sent Bryce Miles and assisted by Brad Ridgeway and Thibodaux Thunderbolts of Louisiana, #16 Southlake Dragons of Texas, the #8 Pleasant Dyrda’s 1-1 pitch into the bleachers in dead center for the victory at thirteen minutes Karey Vaught. For the runner-up TABU, their after two in the morning. Luken Baker circled the bases with a fist pump like Kirk Gibson road to the championship game included and a smile like Joe Carter. Baker hit home plate with his second home run of the night wins against the talents of the #2 East Cobb and the celebration began. Astros of Georgia, the #6 Alpharetta Athletics The champion Team Rattlers had a smooth ride to the championship game beating also from Georgia, the #14 North Gwinnett bunt by Nick Griffith brought the Hit Dogs to the likes of the #4 Virginia Storm of Virginia, the #8 LBA Rangers of California, the #17 Bulldogs of Georgia and the #30 Clovis Fire within one run. Any momentum Motor City’s Simi Valley Trojans from California and the #33 Charlotte Megastars of North Carolina. from California. three run inning may have generated was squashed by the work of Hector Abreau. Abreau closed the game for the Cobras and shut the door on a quality scoring opportunity in the top of the fifth. Motor City had runners on the corners with two outs. Hector however, Week #6 July 11-17, 2009 found his rhythm and got out of the jam with a Cobras Pounce on Hit Dogs and Win Championship three-pitch strikeout. In the top of the sixth he struck out the first two batters and forced a n front of a raucous and spirited crowd at Little Majors Stadium, the backside ground ball for the final out, coming West Pines Cobras from Florida edged the Motor City Hit Dogs of on a nice sliding play by Sebastian Torres. IMichigan 6 to 5 for the Cooperstown Dreams Park Week #6 Torres popped up from his , made the Championship. A five-run third inning was the difference for West Pines throw to first, then sprinted to the pitcher’s and was highlighted by a home run from David Villar. The Cobras used mound for the championship celebration. three in the contest starting Anthony Gutierrez, followed by Sebastian The #14 West Pines Cobras, coached by Torres and Hector Abreau in relief. Abreau didn’t allow a run and struck out four in his Arsenio Rondon, came into the game with a two-inning . For the Hit Dogs, Tori Sullivan pitched 2.2 strong innings of relief and 48-10 record. Their resume included some did not allow an . West Pines Cobras impressive tournament wins and now is While the Cobras were victorious, the beginning of the game was all Hit Dogs. After topped off with a prestige victory at back to back strikeouts from starting pitcher Anthony Gutierrez, a walk put Tori Sullivan Cooperstown Dreams Park. The path to the on base and Nick Hazergian blasted a two-run homer. Hazergian had the green light on championship included wins against the #19 a 3-0 count and turned Gutierrez’s fastball into a souvenir. In the bottom half of the Royal Palm Beach Riptide of Florida, the #22 inning, West Pines responded and manufactured a run to make the score 2 to 1. No Long Island Breakers of New York, and the scoring in the second and a 1-2-3 top of the third lead to a bottom half of an inning that heavily favored #2 Beaver Valley Red from ended up being the difference in the ball game. The Cobras put up five runs in the Pennsylvania. The runner-up Motor City Hit inning using every angle they could to score. The Cobras reached base on a walk, an Dogs came to Cooperstown having won thirty error, and two hits. Runners were advanced on two bunts and batted in on a home run. of their last thirty-three games. Jim Sullivan The bottom half of the third gave great chances to score for West Pines and they took coached the club to a magical tourney run full advantage. David Villar’s two-run homer was the icing on the cake in the inning giv- including upsets against the #13 KC Royals ing the already energized Cobra fan section something to dance about. In the top of the from Kansas, the #4 Pasadena Eagles from fourth, Motor City answered back scoring three runs in the inning. Three singles in a Motor City Hit Dogs Maryland, the #5 Chesterton Slammers from row by Matt Curtis, Nick Serra, and Robbie Jones got the inning alive and a squeeze Indiana, and the #8 Sevier County Bears from Tennessee. COOPERSTOWN DREAMS PARK

Week #7 July 18-24, 2009 Week #8 July 25-31, 2009 Eight Home Runs Power USA Travel Baseball Club to Championship Gladiators Baseball Conquer Championship

he #2 USA Travel Baseball Club showed off their power and hit an ladiators Baseball of Beaumont, Texas remained supreme for impressive eight home runs as they defeated the top seeded St. Week #8 as they showed their power in knocking off the #6 TLouis Diamond Dawgs 13 to 4. USA Travel Baseball did not waste GTexas Longhorns from Katy, Texas 6 to 3 in an exciting, well any time either, getting started in the first inning with a first pitch leadoff played championship game at Little Majors Stadium. Lead by the right arm home run by Rafa Amanau. Amanau had two home runs for the game but of Devon Roedahl and the power bat of David Ortego, Roedahl tossed a com- was topped by Johnny Register who had three. The St. Louis Diamond Dawgs plete game striking out nine, scattering five hits while giving up the three runs. David had a big inning in the bottom of the third that lead to a by Ian Nelson. Ortego had two hits on the night both leaving the field of play earning three RBI on his two home runs. Texas Longhorns had three players with more than one hit and got three Gladiators Baseball Picking up the win for USA Travel Baseball Club was Johnny Register who racked up USA Travel Baseball twelve strikeouts, giving up only two hits and not allowing an earned run. quality innings from starting pitcher Ty Carpenter. Kody Clemens, Tyler Whillock, and Rafa Amanau’s leadoff homer got the USA Travel Baseball Club rolling and was the Taylor Jiral were the Longhorns responsible for the six hits, and Kody drove in all three catalyst for a four run top of the first inning capped off by a three run home run by runs. Johnny Register. Three more runs in the second inning made it 7 to 0 with Amanau’s From the beginning of the game it was clear that any production offensively for both second homer of the game and a two run blast from Danny Cepeda. A rally by the teams was going to have to be worked hard for. Starting pitchers Devon Roedahl and Ty Diamond Dawgs in the bottom of the third got the crowd involved and Ian Nelson’s Carpenter were in control of the game and stayed in counts that were favorable to the Grand Slam had everyone in the stadium on their feet. For a moment it looked like the pitcher. Both changed speeds well and controlled the game by keeping the hitters off bal- Diamond Dawgs could execute the comeback but had trouble containing the bats of ance and hammering the fastball on the inside of the plate. Carpenter only made two USA Travel Baseball Club. The top of the fourth had two more dingers with Drew mistakes in his three innings of work that resulted in home runs by Jake Cochran in the Buckhault getting his first and Johnny Register hitting his second for the game. Register first and David Ortego in the third. For Roedahl, his three runs allowed all came from dis- had a six run lead to work with and went to work in the bottom of the fourth. Register put ciplined hitting by Kody Clemens. Kody took a fastball on his fists and slapped it through the clamps down and struck out seven of the last nine Diamond Dawg batters. Register the 5.5 hole for an RBI in the first, and stayed through another inside fastball driving a liner to center field in the fifth for his second and third RBI. Pitching in relief for Gladiators Texas Longhorns also sparked more scoring in the sixth after hitting a leadoff homer, making it three home St. Louis Diamond Dawgs runs on the game. Pinch hitter Brady Acker tacked on a two run bomb for the eighth and Baseball was Jeremy Johnson and Tyler Whillock who both gave up two runs in their one final home run for USA Travel Baseball Club. inning of work. Both teams played well and matched up for an exciting game under the and shared similar success through tourna- The USA Travel Baseball Club had never played together prior to the Dreams Park Nelson and came into Thursday’s game with lights at Little Majors Stadium. The fundamentals of the game were displayed and both ment play as their in state foe outscoring tournament but meshed well as a team and hit an astounding 63 home runs for the a 62-9 record. Impressive wins against the teams showed sportsmanship equally in triumph and defeat. opponents 35 to 5. The impressive win for week. Their path to the tournament included wins against the #34 California Golden #33 Glenview Blaze of Illinois, #16 Arena The Texas Longhorns are coached by Dave Brown and cruised through tournament Gladiator Baseball improves their record to Gators of California, the #18 M-Pact Baseball of Florida, the #7 Knoxville Stars of Starz of Maryland, #9 East Cobb Warriors of play outscoring their opponents 37 to 6. Gladiator Baseball was led by Morgan Walker 35 wins 22 losses and 1 tie on the season. Tennessee, and the #6 Jersey Shore Thunder of New Jersey. USA Travel Baseball Club Georgia, and the #5 Alexander Cougars of is coached by Humberto Bencomo. The St. Louis Diamond Dawgs are coached by Tim North Carolina brought the Diamond Dawgs to the Championship game.

Week #9 August 1-7, 2009 The OK Jammers Avengers Continue Texas Championship String came into the game with a 53-9 record and have he American Avengers from Houston Texas defeated the OK Jammers from won six tournaments this central Oklahoma 9 to 1 as both teams lived up to the hype and year. Head coach Wayne Twere featured as the top two seeds. For the home team, Tyler led the Jammers to American Avengers, the game was controlled offensively by Colton several impressive wins Wardle. Colton had three hits on the game, scored three runs, and on his way to the champi- had two home runs responsible for five runs batted in. That was plenty onship game including of support for Caleb Morris, the starting pitcher for the Avengers, who comeback wins against went all six innings for the complete game victory while allowing only one run. the #7 So Cal In the top of the first inning, the Jammers scored a run and took a quick lead. Will American Avengers Lumberkings from Pickens got the inning going with a single and then moved into by steal- California and #3 ing second base. Pickens scored on a groundout by Sean Dixson and just like that the Wisconsin All-Stars. The Jammers were on the board. The lead however did not hold very long. In the bottom of American Avengers came the first, the Avengers responded and evened up the score at one. There was no scor- into the game with a ing in the second inning or in the top of the third but the Avengers put big numbers up in record of 45-16 and were the bottom of the third. It started with a towering solo home run by Colton Wardle. A sin- the 2009 Crown gle by Cameron Kremers, a walk by Caleb Morris put runners on base, and a single by Buster Johnny Rizer scored the second run of the inning. A wild pitch and a single by Ryan Champions. The Leftwich scored two more runs. It looked like the Avengers were set for more scoring in Avengers had two close the inning on a single by Daniel Sobarzo but the Jammers got out of the inning on a calls through the tourna- nifty 9-4-5 . After three innings the Avengers were up 5 to 1 and Caleb ment against the #32 Morris was dealing striking out the side in the second and third inning. In the top of the Deep Run Thunderhawks fourth, Morris struck out the side again making it ten strikeouts in a row. In the bottom of Oklahoma Jammers of Pennsylvania winning the fourth the Avengers tacked on four more runs on a grand slam from Colton Wardle, by two runs and the #9 giving him his second home run of the game. The Avengers were now up eight runs, more amazing, is that minus the first two outs Fresno Blue Devils from and that was plenty for Caleb Morris. He fed a steady diet of inside and hard of the game, and the final out of the game, California where they won curves away the last two innings, recording five of the last six outs via the strikeout. Morris did not even need a defense. Fifteen by a single run. Morris went all six innings and recorded an amazing fifteen strikeouts. What was even outs in a row came from strikeouts. COOPERSTOWN DREAMS PARK Week #11 August 15-21, 2009 because of what Week #10 August 8-14, 2009 Fulton was in relief for the Stars and Tustin Mets Baseball WIN in it was, but delivered a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the because of what Team Rawlings beats Chicago North sixth to give his team a chance in the it wasn't. Scott Shore Stars in Slugfest he #1 Tustin Mets Baseball Club from bottom of the sixth. Sola took the mound Southern California beat the #19 Christopherson in the sixth and had an intense focus in Connecticut Cardinals from Fairfield was in his second inning in relief he #7 seeded Team Rawlings from T his eyes. Tyler Broders led off the inning County, Connecticut 7 to 6 in an exciting back and and found himself in a jam that California defeated the #4 and was retired on a lineout to the forth game that went into extra innings. Dylan could have busted that game Chicago North Shore Stars 10 T pitcher. Sola was two outs away Doherty hit a with one out in the bottom wide open. Connecticut had the to 8 in an exciting high scoring champi- and was composed on the mound of the seventh and when the throw to the plate bases loaded with no one out onship game. Both teams came into the like a crafty veteran. A bobbled ball skipped past the Cardinals’ catcher and into the and held a 5 to 2 lead. It was game with reputations of high-powered in the hit by Spencer Beatty dugout, Nick Peabody strolled home for the game now or never for Christopherson, Tustin Mets offenses and neither team disappointed com- Team Rawlings and a single by Connor Kerns put a winning run. Scott Christopherson earned the win who had no room for error in an bining five home runs on the evening. Bryce base runner on, and got the hearts for the Mets, pitching four strong innings in relief intimidating situation; bases Dyrda for Team Rawlings and Kyle Randick pumping in the stadium. Sola struck out and belting a clutch three run home run in the fifth. loaded nobody out. The first out for the Chicago North Shore Stars each had Trystin Raikes and was now one out After two innings, it looked like it was going to be of the inning came when Nick two homers in the contest driving in four runs away from winning the week #10 a low scoring affair. No runs scored in the first two Ferraro was tagged out trying to apiece. Jake Sola, who came in to pitch in Championship. Trey Fulton hit a rocket innings and starting pitchers Willie Burger for the steal home on a . the third inning, earned the win for Team to right center that scored Spencer Cardinals and Nathan Gill for the Mets were in con- Scott Christopherson regained Rawlings as he struck out five batters and did Beatty, and attracted a collective gasp trol of the game. In the top of the third, Connecticut his focus, and struck out the next a great job of slowing down the offensive from Team Rawlings' players and fans. brought five runs across highlighted on home runs two batters to avoid any trouble. attack of the Stars. Fulton rounded first and was headed to by Jake Walkinshaw and Brandon Ginnetti. Tustin It was a wasted chance for the The capacity crowd at Little Majors second when the throw from the however, answered in the bottom of the inning with Cardinals, and breathed new Stadium had plenty to cheer for Thursday was heading home. The ball was cut off two runs and showed that they would not back opportunity for the Mets who night and the excitement started right after in the infield and fired to second. If down. There was no action in the fourth and set up went to work in the bottom of the Connecticut Cardinals another tremendous fireworks display. Bryce Chicago North Shore Stars Fulton is , the Stars have the tying for a fifth inning that changed the momentum of the fifth. Christopherson was Dyrda led off the game with a solo home run run on second base. If Fulton is out, the with two outs and two runners game. No runs scored in the top of the fifth but it Diadorian to start the inning made the score that had Team Rawlings' dugout and fan sec- game is over and Team Rawlings can sented six states including: Illinois, Michigan, on. A solo homer by Luke proved to be the key moment of the game, not five to three and now Scott had a chance to tion on their feet. Dyrda set the tone in the celebrate a championship. The throw to Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. The do more damage. With a 1-2 count, Scotty hit top of the first and inspired his team to manu- second was right on the money and had Stars cruised through the tournament and a high fastball deep into center field off the facture another run giving Team Rawlings a Fulton tagged just before he could reach had impressive wins against the #8 Las batter’s eye that was reminiscent of Reggie quick two run lead. The North Shore Stars the bag. Eighteen runs, fifteen hits, five Vegas Warriors from Nevada and the #13 Jackson in the '77 World Series. In one did not panic however, and proved in the bot- homers, and four lead changes in Club All Star of California. Pete Benzer was inning Scott stepped up on the mound and tom half of the inning that no lead was safe Thursday night’s game that Team the skipper for Team Rawlings and had then delivered a legendary blast at the plate. Thursday night. The Stars responded with Rawlings can remember for a lifetime. assembled the players specifically for this It was a knock out blow no doubt, but it was- three runs of their own in an inning that was Bob O’Donnell coached the Chicago tournament. Hailing from the San Francisco n't fatal for the Cardinals who answered in highlighted by a towering two run bomb by North Shore Stars. The week #10 Bay Area, Team Rawlings played exceptional the top of the sixth. Anthony Amoroso had a Kyle Randick putting the Stars up 3 to 2. In appearance for O'Donnell made it his baseball in order to knock off the #2 North solo jack that tied the game at six and sent the top of the second, one swing of the bat third championship appearance in the Coast Stars from New York and the #3 Hard the crowd into a frenzy. After six innings the by Bryce Dyrda recaptured the lead for Team last four years. The North Shore Stars 90 Rally from California. score was now tied. This was championship Rawlings on a two-run dinger, which was were a collection of players that repre- Bryce's second homer of the game. The baseball at its finest. In the bottom of the Stars responded in the bottom of the second seventh, Nick Peabody reached base and and used patience at the plate to lead to two was followed by Matt Avila who singled to more runs making the score 5 to 4. By not center. Christian Molfetta popped out in the chasing pitches out of the , infield and then Dylan Doherty hit a fly ball to Chicago plated two runs via bases loaded right. Peabody bluffed a tag on the fly ball, walks. Alex Malzone protected the lead in the and when the throw skipped by the catcher, top of the third and retired Team Rawlings in Peabody scored the winning run. Peabody order, striking out the side. The Stars kept the was mobbed next to the plate and the game foot on the gas pedal in the bottom of the was over. inning and knocked out Team Rawlings’ The Connecticut Cardinals were coached starter Bryce Dyrda, after Kyle Randick's sec- by Tom Burger. The Cardinals had nothing to ond two run homer of the game. Jake Sola hang their heads for after a tremendous run towed the rubber in relief and finished the in tournament play, beating some great inning, keeping the Stars at seven runs. Team teams along the way. The #14 Conejo Rawlings was wounded and Jake Sola did a Panthers from California, #3 Shrub Oak great job of stopping the bleeding. He got his Storm of New York and the #7 RISE Baseball team out of the inning and kept his team in of Virginia were all victims of the power the game. Sola's job in the third was huge offense and gritty play of the Cardinals. For because in the fourth, Team Rawlings went the Tustin Mets, coached by Pat Doherty, back to their game, and exploded for a six they ran the table and finished week #11 run inning. Three hits, three walks, and a two undefeated as the #1 seed. The Mets are a run homer by Lucas Garcia accounted for the community team from Tustin, California and six runs that put Team Rawlings back on top. beat the talents of the #8 Jersey Shore Sola put up zeros in the fourth to protect the Stallions from New Jersey, the #12 Pottsville 10 to 7 lead. The fifth inning had no scoring Pythons of Pennsylvania and the #16 Los from either team and was the only inning of Angeles Rattlers of California en route to the game where that could be said. Trey their championship victory. COOPERSTOWN DREAMS PARK

Week #12 August 22-28, 2009 Ryan Shinn powers Tri State to N.A.T.C. Championship Week #13 August 29-September 4, 2009 he #1 Tri State Arsenal prevailed over the #3 So Cal Thunder 2 to 1, in a crisp Inaugural Champs - Team Rawlings Elite low scoring affair at Little Majors stadium to win the National TAmerican Tournament of Champions for 2009. Tri State had fea- he inaugural Cooperstown Classic proved to be a big hit as Team Rawlings tured a high powered offense throughout the week, but only needed two Elite from Laguna Niguel, California defeated the Long Island solo home runs from Ryan Shinn en route to victory. Zak Gakeler picked TTitans of Ronkonkoma, New York 14 to 7 in a back and forth up the win for the Arsenal, pitching four strong innings for the Arsenal and game which featured six home runs. David Clausen, Brandon Perez, recording four strikeouts. and Austin Fresquez had home runs for the Elite, leading a high pow- The Tri State Arsenal had an ideal first inning, retiring Thunder hitters in the top of the ered offense that scored in five of the six innings played. On the first inning in order. In the bottom half of the inning, Ryan Shinn launched a two out solo Tri State Arsenal mound, Brandon Perez was the winning pitcher and he was relieved in the homer to right field that put the Arsenal on the board, and set the tone for the rest of the fourth by Griffin Canning who stymied the Titan bats in the fifth and sixth innings. game. Zak Gakeler put the clamps on the offense of the Thunder, working strong and Steve Foster, Andrew Gazzola, and Mat Anunziata added solo home runs for the fast in the next four innings only allowing four base runners. He eluded damage in the Titans. forth, forcing a ground out and a pop out while So Cal had runners in scoring position. The two championship teams were no strangers to each other after meeting earlier Team Rawlings Elite Ryan Shinn added another run for the Arsenal in the bottom of the fourth, sending a long in the week. In the final regular play game prior to the tournament seeding, the Titans ball out to right center. Justin Hagenman relieved Gakeler, and allowed a run in the fifth met the Elite in a game that had extreme implications. The winner would take the #1 after singles by Chase Lambert and Chris Colarossi. Hagenman stepped up though, and seed, as well as carry momentum into tournament play as the top seed. Both man- forced consecutive ground balls to limit the Thunder's scoring to one. Hagenman stepped agers, Jared Sandler and Gregg Sarra, were no strangers to tournament strategy, and up again in the sixth, retiring Weisberg, Kinder and Jones in order. The final out of the both elected to save their ace pitchers. The Long Island Titans won a close game 4-3 game was a ground ball to AJ Wright, who threw a seed across the diamond to end the and thus took the #1 seed into the Cooperstown Classic tournament. game. The second meeting was for all the marbles. The score was higher and the roles The So Cal Thunder, from the Los Angeles Area, was coached by Don Fehmel. It was ended up being reversed. The Titans’ high powered offense was on track, but the bats an exciting week for the Thunder, who played exceptional baseball outscoring opponents So Cal Thunder of the Elite proved more powerful. The scoring was highlighted in the third inning 39 to 10 in tournament play coming into the championship game beating the likes of the when Team Rawlings Elite put up five runs and would not fall behind the rest of the #11 Massachusetts All-Stars (MA), and crosstown rival #10 So Cal Outlaws. For the The National American Tournament of way. After the big inning, Griffin Canning entered the game as a relief pitcher and shut Arsenal, who were coached by Dan Hagenman, they rolled through the tournament Champions victory was fifth tournament the door for Team Rawlings. Pitching with a cast on his glove hand, Griffin changed allowing just three runs in pool play, and scoring seventy-eight runs in tournament play. championship for the Arsenal this season. speeds and struck out five in his three innings of relief. Long Island Titans

Week #1 Skills Champions Week #4 Skills Champions Road Runner: Road Runner: Willie Padron William McClean Golden Arm: Golden Arm: Jake McKenzie Joseph Soraghan Around the Horn Plus: Around the Horn Plus: Lakewood Ranch South Georgia Blazers, GA Longhorns, FL King of Swat: King of Swat: Tyler Petite Grant Geppert

Week #2 Skills Champions Week #5 Skills Champions Road Runner: Road Runner: Bronco O'Brien Jerad Washington Golden Arm: Golden Arm: Hunter Sadowski Wade McGee Around the Horn Plus: Around the Horn Plus: Florida Crackers, FL Georgia Legends, GA King of Swat: King of Swat: Ben Turner Blake Hamilton

Week #3 Skills Champions Week #6 Skills Champions Road Runner: Road Runner: Ryan Goddard Troy Keys Golden Arm: Golden Arm: Roger Garcia Brendan Griffith Around the Horn Plus: Around the Horn Plus: Cincinnati Stix, OH Franklin Comets, TN King of Swat: King of Swat: Austin Hendley Von Watson COOPERSTOWN DREAMS PARK

Week #7 Skills Champions Road Runner: Brian Vollert Golden Arm: William Crosby Around the Horn Plus: Mifflin Mustangs, PA King of Swat: Chris Mathieu

Week #8 Skills Champions Road Runner: Shelton Schimming Golden Arm: Jordan Johansen Around the Horn Plus: Dawsonville Kings, GA King of Swat: John Aiello

Week #9 Skills Champions Road Runner: Sean Dixson Golden Arm: Jacob Marshall Around the Horn Plus: American Avengers, TX King of Swat: Harrison Johnson

Week #10 Skills Week #11 Skills Champions Champions Road Runner: Road Runner: Trystin Raikes Ryan Hinojosa Golden Arm: Golden Arm: Cameron Bondy Christian Tailor Around the Horn Plus: Around the Horn Plus: Chicago North Shore Jersey Shore Stallions, NJ Stars, IL King of Swat: King of Swat: Zack Loroesh Christopher Greenfield

Week #12 Skills Champions Road Runner: Adolfo Barajas Golden Arm: Thomas Malik III Around the Horn Plus: Long Island Wolves, NY King of Swat: Matthew Buckshaw

Week #13 Skills Champions Road Runner: Josh Wiesbein Golden Arm: Austin Castellanos Around the Horn Plus: Long Island Titans, NY King of Swat: Tyler Osik