Youth Sports Report:

NYBC: Bullets bounce back for victory

Posted Aug 28, 2009 by Nick Murray

Updated Aug 28, 2009 at 07:09 PM

The AAU Champion Valrico Bullets bounced back from an opening loss to defeat Dixie League champion Columbia County 2-1 at the National Youth Baseball Championship in Memphis, Tenn., ending the game on a 5-3-2 double play to prevent the tying run from scoring.

Columbia County’s Collin Dominy led off the sixth inning with a walk, and then advanced to second on an error. He was then sacrificed to third on a bunt by Connor Murray, giving Peyton Jones the chance to bring Dominy home.

Dominy hit a ground ball to third, where it was fielded by the Bullets’ Justin Nardello, who looked Dominy back before throwing to first baseman Jonathan Register. Dominy then broke for home, but Register’s throw to catcher Nick Breen was in time to apply the tag and end the game.

The Bullets had taken the lead in the bottom of the fifth, Register beginning the rally with a one-out single. Drayden Williams reached on an error by the right fielder, allowing Register to come around to score. Williams reached third on the play, but was thrown out at home on a ground out by Jake Sullivan. Sullivan, however, stole second before Nardello doubled to bring him home, and put the Bullets ahead.

The Bullets will face National Amateur Baseball Federation champion the Mississippi Lumberjacks on Saturday evening, and will find out later tonight whether it will be for a place in the tournament semifinals on Sunday. The Lumberjacks face Cal Ripken champion Forest Hills later on Friday night.