Date: Fri 30-Jun-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Minors-Division-LL

Full Text:

VFW Defeats Newtown Color Center

Little Tommy Ermini didn't pace back-and-forth on the pitcher's mound. He

didn't mop any sweat from his brow. And he didn't shake his head in disbelief

when the "ball-four" call put the potential winning run on base with nobody

out in the last inning of the Minors Division championship game on June 24.

Instead, seemingly unfazed by the heat of his first-ever championship game,

the ten-year-old slinger shook off the walk and the four-straight hits that

cut his team's four-run lead down to one.

And with his team's perfect 16-0 season hanging in the balance, Tommy Ermini

delivered three strikes, ending the ball game and crowning VFW Post-308, 1995

Newtown Little League Minors Division champs.

"I was just hoping I could get the strikeout," Ermini said, smiling. "It was

getting a little close there, but we came through."

VFW's 7-6 championship win over second-seeded Newtown Color Center, was the

final installment in an undefeated 17-0 season.

"Early in the game we weren't hitting, but this team has a tendency to come

back," VFW assistant coach Tom Ermini Sr said after the celebration. "This

team we played tonight is an excellent team, and we knew we were in for a

game. We held on. Tommy showed a lot of confidence in that last inning. He let

up a little bit, but he was able to come back strong and win it. The kids did

the job tonight and we're proud of each and every individual."

Newtown Color Center, a great team in its own rite, brought a 14-2 record into

the contest and drew first blood with a run in the top of the first inning

against VFW starter, Jason Whitlock.

But VFW worked out four walks in the bottom of the frame, pushing the tying

run across.

In the top of the second, NCC loaded up the bases with one out before John

Modzelewski came on in relief of Whitlock. Modzelewski came up with a big

strikeout, but with two outs, NCC's Mike English delivered an RBI single to

put his team back on top.

Eric Lance fanned the side for NCC in the bottom of the second, and then

delivered an RBI triple with one out in the third. On the play, Lance was

tagged out at the plate by VFW catcher, Mike Giesen, but he had put his team

on top, 3-1.

In danger of letting thing get out of hand, VFW struck back in the bottom of

the third inning when Garrett Swink, Brian Smith, and Matt Glander all drew

walks to load the bases. Then, with two men out, Dan Mallen came through with

a clutch two-out single that tied the game 3-3 at the halfway point.

The fans knew they were in for a battle.

In the fourth inning, VFW took control of the game's momentum as Tommy Ermini

came on in relief of Modzelewski and struck out the side in order. And in the

bottom half, the VFW boys took the lead for good.

Mike Giesen led off the fourth with a base hit. After Ermini went down on

strikes, Austin Bowes bounced one back to the mound. On the putout, though,

Giesen rounded second without hesitation and headed for third. The throw to

third went into left field, and Giesen trotted home.

Ermini struck out two more NCC hitters in the fifth and got a grounder for the

third out before his team came up and grabbed three big insurance runs.

Jack Sparacino singled to start the inning, but was thrown out at the plate

when Jason Whitlock one-hopped one off the left field fence for a triple. NCC

recorded the second out on an infield pop, but then the bottom of the VFW

batting order erupted.

Swink drew his second walk of the ball game and stole second base, putting men

on second and third with two outs. Alan Means then followed with a two-out,

two-run single that scored Whitlock and Swink. Means moved up on a pass ball

and then Brian Smith came through with the single that drove home what would

prove to be the winning run.

VFW's lead was 7-3 and NCC was down to its last three outs. But while Ermini

had been in control up to that point, the hungry NCC boys came out smoking.

A leadoff double, three consecutive singles, and a base on balls left NCC with

the bases loaded and nobody out, trailing now only 7-5.

Ermini then got the first man on a strikeout. Greg Mayer popped out to first

for the second out, but Eric Lance tagged up from third base and cut the

deficit to only one.

But three pitches later the ball game was over. Ermini popped three-straight

fastballs over the inside corner to record his seventh strikeout in three

innings and pocket the victory.

"In the first few innings, the kids were up there looking for walks and didn't

want to swing," said VFW head coach Bob Glander, who saw his boys collect six

of their seven hits in the last two innings. "I told them to go up there

swinging and they started to come around. It was a great game. It was close,

and we pulled it out. I'm very very proud of these guys. They had it coming."

VFW's records over the past two years had been 3-13 and 2-14. This season they

came of age. After three years together VFW Post-308 will most likely see

several of its players move up to the Majors Division next season.

But nobody will ever forget the 17-0 1995 season. And nobody will ever do any

better . . . VFW won em' all.