As you walk past the gate, a left turn opens to a wide promenande with all the American/Cactus League MLB flags flapping in the wind atop the centerfield concession building – and then you see it. As you walk past the corner of the building turning your head to the right, the green grass of the outfield and the perfectly flat infield unfolds until you see the entire
facility. With two levels of seating, the upper deck overhangs and shades the field-level seats; the hot Arizona sun glints off of the luxury and press box windows; a huge jumbotron scoreboard, already lit-up showing Northern California and Southern California as today’s teams, stood over left field. The traditional green batter’s eye in staight-away center was enormous and the kooky, colorful billboards from local sponsors paraded around the outfield walls between gleaming yellow foul poles.
The sky was littered with the cloudy remains of the summer storm that dumped rain most of the morning and left the air muggy and hot. While the 13 year old final game was finishing up, Tri-Valley and Westchester boys filed in and sat in the stands to watch the last inning. Once that game was over, the field crew got to work and prepped the infield for the last “big” game of the tournament and the teams set-up their bags in a real, step-down dugout complete with benches at the front for everyone to stand on and lean over the rail – just like the bigs. Our boys were so calm and relaxed, as if they played in stadiums all the time.
After the announcer introduced the players and the National Anthem was sung, TVBR raced to their
positions to start the game as the home team. Casey Soltis was our starting lefty pitcher and struggled a bit with the zone, walking the first batter and giving up a basehit to the next one. The third hitter attempted a bunt, but popped-up instead and Daniel Jackson (C) gloved it for the first out. The next batter walked again to load the bases. With one out, Westchester #40 hit a Texas-leaguer (high pop up to shallow right field) which appeared to fall right into Shawn Vincent’s glove…then fell right out for an error and their first run. With bases loaded again, #24 smoked a grounder to Cam Santos (SS) at short who flipped it to Brad Pluschkell (2B) who relayed it quickly to Jake Dronkers at 1st for a double play to end any further damage.
Westchester #11 took the hill and Josh Sprugasci (CF) led off with a monster smash to right for a stand-up double. On a passed ball to Soltis, speedy Spru sprinted all the way to 3rd. Soltis’ pop-up to right field looked like an easy catch to the waiting fielder when the ball suddenly appeared on the ground for an RBI single. DJ hit his 2-2 pitch right back to mound where the pitcher gloved it and tossed the ball to 2nd, but not in time, then the throw to 1B was overthrown allowing Soltis to 3rd with the ball rolling into their own dugout (dead ball) giving Soltis a free pass to the plate and DJ to 2nd.
Dronkers stepped-up to the plate and was beaned on the first pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Ryan Anderson (LF) hit into a fielder’s choice taking Dronkers out at 2nd, putting DJ at 3rd and Anderson at 1. Noah Robbins (3B) took his first pitch while Anderson stole 2nd safely. Robbins then reached on an error and another run for TVBR plated. Vincent hit a sac fly to right to score DJ before the end of the inning. 4-1 TVBR.
Westchester led-off with a walk to #18 and #11 hit into a fielder’s choice, but not before Dronkers nearly flipped over the rail into the 1st base dugout chasing a foul ball – the umpire actually grabbed Jake’s pants to prevent a complete tumble. The next two hitters were out on a pop-up to left and strike out respectively.
Westchester came back to life in the fourth leading off with a basehit to right followed by a reach on a bobbled grounder to Santos putting runners at 1 and 2. With an attempted look-back at the 2nd base runner, the umpire ruled a balk on Soltis advancing runners to 2nd and 3rd. The next batter saw an inside wild pitch allowing a run and a move-up to 3rd. On a 1-2 count #18 hit a comebacker to the mound with Soltis scooping the grounder and started a rundown between 3rd and home. Unfortunately the throw to DJ was high and the runner slid safely into home under the tag.
With a runner at 2nd, #11 hit a grounder directly to Santos at short catching the runner off the bag, who decided to continue to 3rd with Santos in tow – Santos was faster and tagged the runner for the 1st out. Soltis issued another walk on 3-2 and was replaced with ace, Sam Nathan. His first batter flied out to left on a great running catch by Kyle Franco. The next batter hit a high one into right field foul territory with Dronkers giving chase and recreating the famous Willie Mays over-the-shoulder basket catch from the 1954 World Series between the Giants and the Indians. 4-3 TVBR.
The bottom of the fourth saw TVBR’s 5th run. Nathan started off with a ground out, followed by Santos’ flair single to shallow center. Sprugasci took his 2-2 count to short for a fielder’s choice and stole 2nd with Soltis at the plate. Soltis roped a single down the right foul line for an RBI. 5-3 TVBR.
Nathan then faced 4 batters in the 5th without any trouble. Westchester swapped pitchers to face Dronkers who grounded to 3rd, but the baseman decided to wait in the hole for the ball to come to him instead of charging and Jakey D ended up with infield hit. Keith DeHollander came in to run for Dronkers at 1st and advanced to 2nd on Anderson’s fielder’s choice. Robbins hit a flair to center for an RBI single making the score 6-3 TVBR.
Nathan made short work in the 6th retiring the side with only 8 pitches. David Gomez led off the bottom of the 6th with a basehit to right field and advanced to 2nd on Spru’s sac bunt. DJ walked after Soltis flew out to center, and Dronkers earned his 2nd hit with a grounder to 3rd. With bases loaded, Westchester got out of a big jam inducing Anderson to pop up to right.
With only 3 outs remaining for the title, Nathan gave up a basehit to the lead-off and 2nd batters. With runners at 1st and 2nd, coach Paul replaced Nathan with Dronkers for the save. Jakey D allowed a fielder’s choice getting the runner at 2nd but putting runners at the corners. The next grounder to short was bobbled allowing a run. Now with runners at 1st and 2nd, Dronkers struck #40 out with 3 straight pitches and after throwing 2 consecutive balls to the next batter, struck him out with the next 3 for the save and TVBR wins its second straight Regional title and another trip to the Babe Ruth World Series in Loudoun County, Virginia.
The final ceremony provided TVBR with a beautiful hardwood plaque and all the boys were presented Championship medals; Josh Sprugasci and Jake Dronkers were selected to the All-Tournament Team; Daniel Jackson was given the Tommy Jones Victory Award and Casey Soltis was chosen as the tournament’s MVP. TVBR will be playing other regional champions in the Babe Ruth World Series from August 21 thru the 28th in Loudoun County, VA and I will continue the play by play from there!
