Pool Play - Game #1

Lightning Baseball vs. Hunterdon Hitmen @ Coastal Carolina University

Saturday July 23, 2005

“Baseball at the Beach,” the 13U AAU National Tournament held at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, began on Saturday as 81 teams took the field in pursuit of a championship. The Lightning 13’s began their national championship run with a 9-4 victory over the Hunterdon Hitmen (New Jersey) at Coastal Carolina University on Saturday afternoon. Greg Ladd (Danvers, MA) went the distance for the Lightning sitting down the first 12 hitters he faced and allowing only five hits by the Hitmen. The game was quiet through the first few innings until the Lightning struck first with two runs in the third. Gavin Mahoney (Winthrop, MA) walked and scored in his first three at bats and provided the spark for the offense.

The sixth inning became the turning point as T.J. Patrikas (Danvers, MA) led off with a walk and Michael Amaral (Tewksbury, MA) followed with a single. With Mahoney drawing a base on balls, Connor Lyons (Bedford, NH) came through with a clutch single which scored two runs. Following Lyons were three straight base hits by Chris Splinter (Middleton, MA), Jason Federico (Wakefield, MA), and Evan Bunker (Topsfield, MA). Working with the lead, Greg Ladd continued to throw strikes and earned his first victory of the tournament.