10 U  BVBee’s Win Memorial Day Tourney

10 U Blossom Valley Bee’s Win Memorial Day Tourney

The 10U BV Bee’s traveled to Walnut Creek for the 2011 Memorial Day Tournament hosted by Walnut Creek Pony Baseball. This tournament consisted of very competitive travel ball teams from the Diablo 680 league. The Bee’s played hard all weekend and ended up winning the tournament late Monday evening by defeating the Delta Dawgs 6-2 in the championship game. It was the second tournament in a row that the Bee’s have won and the third tournament, out of four, that they have won in 2011.
The tournament did not start out well for the Bee’s. In a rainy, cold and blustery day, the Bee’s dropped the first game of the tournament 7-1 to the Brentwood Blast. The game was called early due to the in climate weather.
After regrouping, the Bee’s came to play on Sunday. In the first game of the day the Bee’s played the Delta Diamond Backs. The Bee’s run ruled them in four innings by the score of 10-2. Joey Costantino pitched the first three innings shutting the D-Backs down, only allowing two runs. The Bee’s had timely hitting by the whole team lead by a 3 run soaring home run by Devin Morris and two hits from Jacob Liquori and Jason Siri. The Game was closed out by Jack Gribbin who shut them down in the 4th inning.
In Sunday’s second game, the Bee’s overcame a few controversial calls. After trailing to the Walnut Creek Balldawgs 4-1, going into the top of the 4th inning and just coming off a controversial call, Chris Benevento came out and shut the Balldawgs down on four pitches swinging the momentum back to the Bee’s dugout. The Bee’s came out in the bottom of the fourth inning fired up and had timely hits by Willie LeMasters, Cameron Flores, Siri, and a two out double by Steven Zobac to put the Bee’s ahead 5-4. In the bottom of the fourth inning, pitcher Jack Gribbin came in and shut the door. In the bottom of the fifth inning, again, the Bee’s came out fired up and with two outs Siri hit a walk off double to left center field scoring two runs and the Bee’s run ruled the Balldawgs 12-4.
Moving into Monday, the Bee’s were the third seed. This meant they had to win all three of their games to win the championship. Once again, the Bee’s were up against the Delta Diamond Backs. The Bee’s Saturday momentum was still building. In the top of the first inning, with one out and runners on first and second, the Diamondback’s batter hit the ball to right center field, Constantino(CF) fielded the ball and hit cut man LeMasters at the pitching mound. Due to over aggressive running, two D-back runners were caught at third. LeMasters threw to Siri to get the runner going back to second, Siri tagged him and then threw a strike to Zobac at the plate to cut down the advancing runner for an inning ending double play. The Bee’s came back in the Bottom of the 1st inning and put up 12 runs on the board with timely hitting and a grand slam by Ryeland Drake. LeMasters pitched three solid innings and hit a two run home run to close out the D-Backs in three innings with a 17-1 score.
The second game of the day was an epic rematch against the Brentwood Blast. RJ Galindo started the game and pitched three solid innings of baseball giving up only 3 runs against a powerful hitting team. The Bee’s started the scoring with three runs in the 2nd inning by back to back home runs by Drake and Siri. Morris’ double drove in Flores with the third run of the inning. Gribbin came in and pitched 3 masterful innings after the Blast went up 4-3 going into the fifth inning. The Bee’s responded with two runs in the fifth. Siri lead off with a double to left center field and then Flores hit a single to left. With runners on second and third, Morris hit a two run double to give the Bee’s a five to four lead. In the Bottom of the sixth inning, the Blast had the tying runner at second base and he tried to go to third on a wild pitch, catcher Siri threw wide of third and into left field. Backing up the play, left fielder Zobac picked up the ball and threw a one hopper to Siri who caught it and applied the tag for the first out of the inning. The outstanding defensive performance of the game was turned in by Chris Benevento having multiple put outs at second base and recording the final out.
The Championship Game was against the Brentwood Delta Dawgs. Zobac toed the rubber and pitched 3 solid innings giving up only one run. The Bee’s had timely hitting and took a 4-1 lead into the 4th inning. Siri came in and pitched two solid innings, giving up one run against a well coached Brentwood team. The Bee’s came up with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning with a clutch RBI single by Flores. Gribbin finished the tournament closing out the game with a great play from right fielder Galindo, who threw a strike to the alert outstretched first baseman Zach Barnao, taking a sure hit away from their opponent and sealing the victory. “BEE’S WIN!!!! BEE’S WIN!!! 6-2 to take the Memorial Day Championship.”
Coaches Jeff Siri, Chris Benevento, Barry Drake, and Ted Flores guided the Bee’s to the victory. All the coaches are extremely proud of these players for their hard work and commitment to the game. The BV 10U BEE’s are currently ranked 5th in the Nation in the USSSA Boys Baseball Rankings. This is the BEE’s 8th tournament victory dating back to August 2010.

Los Abejas de San Jose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!