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Gloucester Nationals eliminate Gloucester Americans

Gloucester National eliminates Gloucester American

By Nick Curcuru
Staff Writer
Published: July 5, 2009

GLOUCESTER - The Gloucester Americans District 15 Little League All-Star team found out quickly just what they were getting from Gloucester Nationals pitcher Tyler Favaloro in Saturday's game: domination.

Favaloro's top of the first inning, where he struck out the side in succession, was just a sign of things to come for the Nationals right-hander. By the game's end, he pitched five innings, allowing one run on just two hits and striking out 12 in the Nationals 5-1 win over the Americans at Boudreau Field.

It's all about the heat when it comes to Favaloro's pitching as the 13-year-old used a heavy dose of hard fastballs to blow away his Gloucester American counterparts in the win.

With the win the Nationals (2-1) will move on to play the loser of tonight's Danvers National vs. Peabody West game on Thursday in Peabody (7 p.m., Cy Tenney Park). Peabody West is the defending District 15 champions. Gloucester American's second loss eliminated them from the double elimination tournament at 2-2.

"Tyler did well," Nationals manager Sam Favaloro said. "He really had his fastball going. He's already tough to hit but today he was really throwing hard."

The Nationals gave Favaloro all the run support he needed as they jumped all over the Americans for four runs in the first inning. Second baseman Cody Harwood gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead when he singled in Connor Harris who reached on a throwing error. Two batters later, centerfielder Terrance Lowe singled in Drew Muniz who singled and Mike DeCaro who reached on a walk. The very next batter, catcher Michael Cody, drove in Harwood with an infield single to give the Nationals a 4-0 lead after the first inning.

Americans starter Jared Favazza settled down from there on in allowing just four hits for the rest of the game after allowing four in the first inning.

The Americans threatened a number of times stranding a runner on third in the second inning, a runner on second and third in the fourth and another runner on third in the fifth. Their lone run came in the third inning when Devon Murray scored on a double steal after reaching on a walk. The Americans were able to plate the run in the inning without getting a hit as Murray moved up to second on a wild pitch and stole third before eventually scoring from third when the Nationals threw down to second base to try and catch a runner stealing.

The Nationals added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning when DeCaro singled in Muniz who had reached on an error.

"This was a great win for us," Favaloro said. "It's a good rivalry against the Americans and the kids did a great job. Everybody contributed in every facet of the game."

DeCaro led the Nationals offense with two hits while reaching base in all three of his plate appearances. Muniz reached base three times and scored two runs. Infielder Kyle Mailey had both hits for the Americans, a triple in the second and a single in the fourth, Mailey, however, was stranded at third after both hits.

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