RED SOX OR ATHLETICS

Back to back doubles by Matt Ballinger and Carlos Castaneda in the top of the ninth inning gave the Americans a 9-8 victory in the 18AA All Star Game at the Lantana Sports Complex June 19. Ballinger cranked his second two bagger of the game off the center field fence and Castaneda followed by driving a shot to the gap in right center scoring Ballinger with the winning run. Earlier, Ballinger had driven in a run with a sacrifice fly. The Americans took a 1-0 lead in the first on back to back doubles by Yoendry (Yo) Perez and Dave Duritsa, then widened the lead with three more in the third. Perez singled in one with the bases loaded, and Duritsa followed with a two-run double to left. The Nationals cut the deficit to 4-3 with a three run third inning. Two walks, an error and a passed ball accounted for one run. Pete David and Les Husted had RBI singles to cut the Americans’ lead to one. The Nationals took their only lead of the game with two runs in the fourth. Three walks, two steals by Jason Levy, an RBI hit by John Guadagnino and a throwing error made it 5-4. The Americans tied it at 5-5 in the fifth. Mike Castelluccio scored on a bases loaded wild pitch. Both teams scored twice in the sixth. Hits by Scott Stimzer and Nick Castelluccio, a walk, two passed balls and a sacrifice fly by Matt Ballinger made it 7-5 in favor of the Americans, but the National squad tied it with two in their half. Patrick Mullin beat out an infield hit and Husted reached base on catcher’s interference. Chris Laforge singled to left to drive in one run with Husted scoring on a throwing error on the same play. John Pacifico’s run scoring single in the seventh put the Nationals ahead 8-7, but the Americans again tied it in the eighth on Joe Stone’s sacrifice fly, scoring Bruce White who had singled and moved to third on two wild pitches. Ballinger, who commutes from Orlando for league games, was selected as the game’s MVP and was presented with an NABA All Star MVP plaque. Yo Perez led all hitters with three hits, and Duritsa knocked in three runs for his team with a pair of doubles. Husted had two hits to lead the Nationals. All players received NABA All Star Selection commemorative shirts. The outstanding defensive plays of the game were a diving catch by the Nationals’ center fielder Brett Siew that led to a double play on a ball hit by Golson, and shorstop Laforge’s diving stop of a ball hit by Mike Castelluccio, turning it into a 6-4-3 twin killing. The 18AAA All Star game was scheduled for Friday, June 21 at 7PM at the Lantana Sports Complex.