by Trevor Dugan
Axcess spoke to Team Francisco after their championship victory this afternoon @EcybTournaments pic.twitter.com/KN24UBeHNP
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 7, 2024
The New York Longhorns McTighe and Team Francisco Notorious faced off at Wantagh Park this Sunday afternoon to determine the champion of the 12U Stars and Stripes Tournament.
These two teams played one another the day before their championship matchup, with the Longhorns winning 5-4 on Saturday morning.
Team Francisco sent out Jake Adragna as their starting pitcher, while the Longhorns started Vince Vargas on the mound.
The Longhorns scored first thanks to a steal of home plate by Gabe Hirschhorn in the top of the first. Adragna avoided further damage, but the Longhorns took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first.
Team Francisco responded immediately in the bottom of the frame. After walking to lead off the game, Luke Kaplan scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 1-1. Adragna would then pitch a scoreless top of the second to get his offense right back to work.
In the bottom of the second inning, a throwing error allowed Team Francisco to score another unconventional run. Chris Mazzolla was able to score from second base to give his side a 2-1 lead heading into the third.
A big inning by Team Francisco puts them back in the lead. Three runs scored on this RBI triple by Catcher Zachary Cook Rosario
Francisco 7 – Longhorns 4
End third pic.twitter.com/4SKrt7HmrV— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 7, 2024
There were plenty of lead changes in this game, another coming in the top of the third inning as the Longhorns scored three runs to go up 4-2. Shortstop Lance Auleta drove in the tying run with an RBI single, his lone hit of the day.
From there it was all Team Francisco. Five runs came across in the bottom of the third to give Francisco a 7-4 lead. Catcher Zach Rosario cleared the bases with an RBI triple. He would finish 1-2 with three RBI.
The runs keep coming for Team Francisco as they score five more in the fourth
Francisco 12 – Longhorns 4
End fourth pic.twitter.com/yQ3tdHSYpW— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 7, 2024
Mazzolla pitched the rest of the game for Team Francisco. He fired a shutdown inning in the top of the fourth to preserve Team Francisco’s 7-4 lead.
Five more runs scored in the bottom of the fourth, as Team Francisco continued to have exceptional at-bats. Two runs scored on back-to-back RBI doubles by Frankie Caputo and Brody Setteducato.
Mazzolla pitched another shutdown inning in the top of the fifth, earning Team Francisco the 12-4 mercy rule victory and tournament championship.
Head Coach Tom Caplan praised his team for bouncing back to defeat a team that had beaten them the day before.
“We got punched in the mouth yesterday, I give credit to the coach of the Longhorns he does a very good job with those kids,” Caplan said. “But we bounced back and we are just a resilient, tough bunch. And that’s what I love about this group of kids.”
