Down to their last strike in pool play, WEST Warriors New York 13U went on to outscore their opponents 21-4, en route to the championship at the 2023 Memorial Day Invitational, 13u division.
Trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning of their third and final pool game, and needing a win to advance, with the bases load and a two-strike count, Dylan Cappiello drove in two runs to tie the game. Jacob Krolick then launched a hard hit ball to the gap in left-center field bringing in the winning run, for a walk-off 8-7 come from behind win over Beast Red, securing the fourth seed, and final spot in the playoff round.
Facing top-seed New York Empire 13u (3-0) in the semifinal, Mikey Falasco pitched five shutout innings, backed by Michael Michele’s fourth inning 3-run home run, and Jake Mackay’s two hits and three RBI, for a 12-2 upset win, and a spot in the tournament championship.
The title game would be a battle against Yeti Baseball White (3-0, 1-0), against whom the Warriors sought to avenge a 12-10 opening night defeat. Despite two hits from Alex Abbass, the score was knotted 0-0 after six innings. Aiden Barnett pitched a shutout into the seventh inning, when the Warriors rattled-off seven hits, to take a 5-0 lead. Cappiello pitched the final three outs for the save, in a 5-2 win, giving WEST Warriors NY 13u the championship title.
“I’m so proud of the guys – every single player fought their tail off this weekend. It was a full team effort. I couldn’t be prouder to be their coach,” remarked Warriors head coach Brandon Martins. “It was magical, to say the least,” added Warriors organization owner Bill Milliken. “Seeing how everyone came together, a proud moment that’ll last forever.”
To learn more about the WEST Warriors, or to request a player tryout, visit GoWestSports.com.
