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Brooklyn team advances to title game at Cene Park
By Greg Gulas
STRUTHERS
The Youth Service League Blue Angels aren’t used to playing on fields manicured as neatly as those at Bob Cene Park.
Playing in such dynamic surroundings has definitely kicked their game up a notch.
Tim Lopez rapped out three hits, scored three times and had an RBI while Guiseppe Orlando tossed the team’s third consecutive complete game as the Blue Angels (Brooklyn, N.Y.) defeated Youngstown All-Stars, 13-3, on Tuesday in the PONY Baseball, Colt-15 Zone winners bracket final.
“We can hit so the score today didn’t surprise me. Give credit to our pitchers because they’ve now tossed three straight complete game to start the tournament,” Blue Angels manager Julio Navarro said.
“We’re 10-12 deep on our staff and I actually have some players who aren’t too happy right now because they haven’t gotten the ball. We played two games yesterday, but had to sit around for seven hours in order to complete our first game due to rain, so this will be a welcomed break for us until [today’s] championship game.”
After sweeping through their first two games by an 18-1 count, Youngstown failed to cash in on opportunities as it left two runners on base each inning while out-hitting YSL, 10-8.
“You cannot leave runners on base like we did today and expect to win; especially in a tournament like this,” Youngstown coach Steve Leslie said.
“They created quite a few scoring opportunities and while we had our chances, we failed to cash in on those chances.”
It didn’t take Youngstown long to get on the board, scoring two runs in the opening inning when Lou Cardona laced a two-out double and then raced home when Chris Lewis followed with a single.
Lewis scored when Noah Laster drove him home with a single.
The Blue Angels answered in their half by sending 11 hitters to the plate, sending starter Noah Laster to the showers eight batters into the game and taking a 5-2 advantage.
The first six hitters reached base safely and the first five eventually scored with the big hit a two-run double by William Leino.
Alex Schlosser replaced Laster to record the final two outs of the frame.
Youngstown got a run back in the second inning when Mike Grazier walked to start the frame, scoring two batters later on a single by Noah Swarez to make it 5-3.
YSL made it 6-3 in the third when John Luke Quintero led off with a walk, advanced to second base on a wild pitch, went to third on an infield error and scored on a bunt by Julyan Urena.
The Blue Angels added to their lead in the fourth inning, taking a 9-3 lead when Tim Lopez and Guiseppe Orlando singled with the big hit a Leino two-run single.
A two-run double by Orlando then keyed a four-run, fifth inning in the run-shortened game.
The tournament concludes today with Youth Service League of the winner’s bracket meeting Youngstown out of the loser’s bracket for the title at 10 a.m.
A second game, if necessary, will follow.
Youngstown secured a spot in the final by beating Steve’s Sports, 12-5. Bryce Richey went 4 for 5 with a single, two doubles, a triple and four RBIs. Alex Schlosser had three hits.