Stealth come up short in first tourney of season
10/29/2011Kurt Vesecky
The Stealth were back in action this past weekend after a two month break. Over the last 6 weeks the Stealth have focused on speed and agility training along with a log toss program from Jaeger Sports! With just two weeks of actual practice under their belt they decided to enter the USSSA Fall Classic III.
In game one of pool play the Stealth would draw the Warriors Baseball Academy and the Big Chuy Rockets. In game 1 the Stealth took care of business by beating the Warriors 8-2. Dawson McCarville was dynamite on the hill as he threw three innings allowing just four hits and two earned runs. Adrian Salazar closed it out as he did not allow a hit while striking out three! Offensively the Stealth managed just four hits as the bats were rusty; they did however take full advantage of 11 walks. Matthew Liberatore had two RBI’s while Mason Millett scored three runs in the win.
In game two the Stealth sent Jonathan Ornelas to the hill. Jonathan threw innings while allowing just four hits and one earned run. Jacob Vesecky came in for mop up duty as the Stealth once again cruised to a 7-2 win! The Stealth again managed just six hits but again took advantage of their opportunities.
With a 2-0 record in pool play the Stealth would earn the #1 seed. This would create a matchup with the #4 seeded Storm. The Storm went 0-2 in pool play losing a one run affair to the Rockets and then losing another one run game to the Warriors. The Storm would send a familiar foe in Hayden Sandman to the hill. The Stealth faced Sandman last year on three occasions when both he and the Stealth played at the 12u level. Sandman is a crafty lefty with a sneaky fastball and a great pickoff move. The Stealth countered with Kevin Ortega. Kevin allowed one in the first but the Stealth struck for three of their own in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Adrian Salazar, Mason Millett, and Jacob Vesecky each had an RBI in the inning. The 3-1 lead however was short lived as the Storm struck for one in the top of the 2nd. After a scoreless third inning the Storm struck for 3 of their won to take a commanding 5-3 lead. The lead would hold until the 6th when Jonathan Ornelas walked, Josh Sandoval singled and then Nolan Gorman hit a 290 foot bomb to deep right center to tie the game. Adrian Salazar then delivered the winning blow with a sacrifice fly to center and the Stealth had pulled of the 6-5 come from behind win! The win would catapult the Stealth into the finals and set up a rematch of an earlier pool play game.
On the other side of the bracket the Warriors Baseball Academy held on the beat the Big Chuy Rockets by a score of 9-8.
In the finals the Stealth would send Matthew Liberatore to the hill while the Warriors countered with Sasha Schneider. After a scoreless 1st inning on both sides the Stealth gave up 1 in the top of the second. They answered right back though with four of their own when singles by Mason Millett, Matthew Liberatore, and Kevin Ortega resulted in four runs for the Stealth. After giving up another in the top of the third the Stealth again struck for two more and suddenly led 6-2. In the top of the 5th things would change as the Warriors got an RBI single from Gabriel Rios. After a harmless ground out the Warriors got the huge two out hit they needed when Sasha Schneider tripled to deep right center to score two runs. Another two out hit by Dominick Demarbiex and the Warriors had tied the game at 6-6. The score stayed this way into the top of the 6th when after two outs Gabriel Rios walked, after a balk and an error the Warriors took the lead 7-6. In the bottom of the 6th, after two quick groundouts, Jason Nelson kept the Stealth hopes alive when he hit a laser to left center for a double. After a walk to Kevin Ortega, Dawson McCarville was hit by a pitch. Suddenly the Stealth had the bases loaded. It wasn’t meant to be though as a harmless tapper back to the hill ended it.
The Stealth were disappointed with the loss but understand that they were playing an improved team that was playing in their third tournament of the season while the Stealth were playing in their first. The Warriors are now 9-1 on the season and ranked third in the Nation according to USSSA. The 3-1 mark on the weekend catapulted the Stealth to a #14 rank in the same poll.
Next up for the Stealth is the USSSA Strike Out Hunger event on November 5-6. Stay tuned for all of the results!
