15-Nationals

For five innings, it appeared that the spring league’s “night of stars” would be a repeat of the 1-0 final score of the fall league’s All Star clash that went ten innings. However, the bats came alive for both teams and the Northern squad posted a 7-3 win July 20 at the Lantana Sports Complex. Click on headline for full story. The North division posted a first inning run on a single by Billy Brescia (Sports Page Rockets), who took second when his hit was misplayed in left field, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Joe Young (Mets). The run came off Mike Evans (Palm Beach Indians), and although he recovered from the shaky start by fanning four of the last five batters he recovered, he was charged with the loss. Mike Draper (Rockets), meanwhile, two shutout innings, giving up only a double to Marcos Vasquez (Caribbean Stars) to rack up the pitching win. Draper also went 2-for-2 with a pair of singles. The offenses picked up for both sides in the sixth inning. The visiting put a four spot on the board. The Lookouts’ long representative, Eddie Santora, singled, followed by Brescia’s second straight hit. Young drew a walk and Santora scored when the South team failed in a double play attempt on a ball hit to short by the Rockets’ Jason McGilton. His Rockets’ teammate, Brian Fitzsimmons, bounced a single through the side to score Brescia. Brian Barnes (Glory Days) singled sharply to center to score McGilton and a fourth run scored on an infield error on the Cubs’ Clint Kovach’s grounder. The South Division struck back for two in the bottom of the sixth. Andy Lewis (Indians) led off the frame with the first of his two doubles. He moved on a third on a single by Vasquez and scored when Indians’ teammate Billy Shore banged a double to left, moving Vasquez to third from which point he scored on a RBI grounder to short by Jared Green (Indians). The South sliced it to 5-3 with a seventh inning run. Ariel Rodriguez (Stars) was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on an RBI hit by the Cardinals’ Ricky Dominguez. The North put it away in the eighth inning when Young poled a two-run homer, scoring Santora ahead of him. Santora had led off the frame with a double. Young wound up 2-for-2 with three RBIs and awarded the NABA All Star Most Valuable Player award. He had a walk in his other plate appearance. Brescia, Fitzsimmons (RBI), Draper and Santora had two hits apiece, with Barnes (RBI) with James Bozeman (St.Lucie Dodgers) getting one. McGilton had the other RBI. Lewis led the South with two doubles in three trips. Vasquez had a double and single. Shore stroked an RBI double. Jared Green, Dominguez, and Angel Nino (Cardinals) had singles, with Green, Shore and Dominguez getting RBIs. Fitzsimmons, Brescia, McGilton, Jason McDonald (Dodgers) and Bozeman followed Draper to the mound for the North. Vasquez, Nino, Green, Dave Leonardo (Beach Dogs) and Francisco Dinzey (Stars) pitched after Evans for the South