DAVE'S

After losing in the winner’s bracket final, Dave’s came back to win 3 consecutive games...

Dave’s Marketplace wins the 2009 Wickford Little League Championshipwith a 13-0 victory over Elmwood Sports 

After losing in the winner’s bracket final, Dave’s came back to win 3 consecutive games to earn the title of champions of the 2009 Wickford Little League season.  And as they have done all season, Dave’s combined outstanding pitching, and offense and scoring from all 12 players to earn their 20th victory of the year against 3 losses. 

In the title game, 1st year majors’ player Zach Sullivan got the start for Dave’s.   After yielding a solid single to leadoff batter Cam Moniz, Zach got the next 3 batters to end the top of the first and stranding Cam at 3rd base.  In the bottom of the first, Dave’s combined a hit batsman, 2 walks, and a single to make the score 1-0.  Elmwood pitcher Travis Sampson settled down from there to retire the next 3 batters to keep the score at 1-0.   

Zach mowed down the next 3 Elmwood batters in the top of the 2nd to get the Dave’s offense back up to bat.  Consecutive singles by Peter Webber, Mark Rogers, and Ryan Nabb loaded the bases for Dave’s.  Zach helped his own cause by hitting a sacrifice fly to allow Peter to score. Mark Rogers scored on a hard-hit single by Jimmy Moan.  Travis got the last out of the inning to keep the score at 3-0.   

In the top of the 3rd, Zach struck out 2 and retired Jake Ruhling on the groundout.  In the bottom of the 3rd, Timmy Lynch was the lead off batter.  And like he had done twice the night before, Timmy launched a solo homer deep into the woods in center field.  Travis then retired the next 3 batters in order, so after 3 innings Dave’s led 4-0. 

In the 4th inning it was more of the same as Zach allowed a single to Rick Cramer, but didn’t allow another hit or the Elmwood base runner to get farther than 1st base.   

In the bottom of the 4th, Dave’s broke the game open with 6 hits, 2 BB, and 2 hit batsman to score 9 runs.  The relentless and deep offense supplied by Dave’s was just too much for the Elmwood pitchers as demonstrated by the last five batters in the Dave’s lineup scoring 7 of the runs. Key hits in the inning were a 3-run double by Brian Farrell, a 2-run double by Chris Guenev, and rbi hits by Matt Viens, Jimmy Moan, and Ryan Nabb.  And with a seemingly insurmountable lead of 13-0, Dave’s went out in the top of the 5th inning hoping to close the game out.   

Zach got the dangerous Danny Hayden to groundout for the 1st out of the inning.  Matt Gauthier followed with a single to right field.  Zach got Liam Darcy to ground out on a fielder’s choice at second base.  The next batter grounded to the second baseman Chris Guenev who smoothly handled the grounder and threw to 1st baseman Mark Rogers to end the game.   

Zach’s pitching line for the title game was 0 runs allowed, 3 hits (all singles), 4 strikeouts, 0 base on balls, and 10 outs on ground balls to infielders.  And in the biggest game of the year, Zach easily pitched his best game of the year.