Bare powers Tri-City to All-Star grand final

Tri-City’s Levi Bare (right) is congratulated by a teammate after hitting a tie-breaking home run in the top of the seventh inning Wednesday at Ruso Field in Watsonville. (Glenn Cravens/Register-Pajaronian)

WATSONVILLE — Levi Bare finished with four hits Wednesday evening at Ruso Field, and his last proved to be the biggest.

Bare hit a home run in the top of the seventh inning, and the Tri-City Little League All-Star team held on to defeat River Park 4-3 in the winners bracket finals of the Northern California 10-11 tournament.

With the win, Tri-City advances to Friday night’s championship game at 6 p.m.

Bare’s game-winner went past the right-field wall, and his teammates stormed out of the dugout to celebrate.

“I was really excited,” Bare said. “I didn’t know it was going to go out. I was just so happy.”

The game wasn’t over yet.

River Park, who had won on a walk-off home run on Monday, had plans of getting another walk-off victory with Tri-City pitcher Chandler Dakin being its victim.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, T.J. Fondtain hit a grounder that was booted by the second baseman, and he reached first base safely.

River Park was in business, but the next batter hit a 6-4-3 double play. After the runner was called out at first, several Tri-City players simultaneously jumped in celebration.

It still wasn’t over.

Mikell Chavez fought off a couple of Dakin pitches and took a couple of other close ones to work a walk. Kyle Moats then hit a single to move Chavez to second base.

Dakin slowed the already-slow game to a crawl and regained his composure. He got a called strike three to end the game and send Tri-City to the grand finals.



For the complete article see the 07-26-2012 issue.

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