Holden Optimist SC

News Detail

11

Jul, 2018

Yaguate, Dominican Republic sweeps Mustang and Bronco Caribbean Zone titles

Following three days of competitive pool play action and a day of semifinals, Yaguate, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, the host teams of both the Mustang and Bronco age divisions won the Caribbean Zone's titles and automatic bids to the Mustang World Series in Youngsville, Louisiana and the Bronco World Series in Los Alamitos, California, respectively.

Bronco Caribbean Zone Championship Game: Yaguate, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic 12 Puerto Rico 2

Led by Sebastian De Andrede, who went 5-for-5 with eight RBI, Yaguate, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic's offensive fire power propelled the team to victory in a championship game rout of Puerto Rico. The Dominicans used 19 hits on the afternoon to score 12 runs and win by double digits, as four of De Andrede's teammates recorded multi-hit games. Yaguate, the tournament's host team, came away with its first Bronco Caribbean Zone title and its first automatic bid to the Bronco World Series.

Yaguate broke open the scoring in the top of the first inning, when Jaede Calderon hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring Estarlin Caba, who led off the game with a single. Puerto Rico countered in the bottom of the second inning. Dereck Rodriguez walked and moved around to third base on Jensen Erazo's double on the next at-bat. Rodriguez was tagged out heading home on Victor Cintron's infield single, but Erazo was able to advance to third on the play. Cintron then took off for second base during Jeanpol Alicia's at-bat, and a costly error on the throw by the Dominican catcher gave Puerto Rico its first run of the game, as Erazo scored from third. Diego Garcia singled, scoring Cintron from second, tying the game at two, after two complete.

It was then that Yaguate buckled down and attacked offensively in the top of the third. Yeudri Batista and Yoelin Cespede singled back-to-back, before Calderon reached on an error. With the bases loaded, Batista scored on a wild pitch, as Cespede and Calderon moved up a base. On a 1-1 count, De Andrede blasted a three-run home run to left field, giving Dominican Republic a 6-2 lead that it would not surrender.

Through the third and fourth innings, Yaguate's starting pitcher Joshua Dela Cruz settled in, allowing just one hit, while striking out four. Calderon doubled to lead off the top of the fifth inning, and he was brought home thanks to De Andrede's line drive single to center field (7-2).

Dela Cruz led off the bottom of the fifth by getting Garcia to fly out, but it was then that he walked the bases loaded. He was able to pick off Puerto Rico's Robert Barreto at second base, but, with two outs, he was then replaced on the mound by Calderon. It was a good decision, as Calderon was able to induce a swinging strikeout to get his team out of a jam and protect Dela Cruz's line. On the day, Dela Cruz finished with 4.2 innings pitched, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and four walks, while striking out six.

De Andrede continued to light it up offensively in the top of the sixth, as he knocked a bases-clearing triple to right field, extending Dominican Republic's lead to 10-2 and giving him his seventh RBI of the game. In the top of the seventh, Frankeli Westa walked and Calderon doubled to put runners in scoring position. Junior Baez reached on an error, scoring Westa and moving Calderon up a base. Once again, it was De Andrede who came through in the clutch. He knocked his fifth hit on the day into right field, scoring Calderon, giving Dominican Republic its 12th run, which proved to be the final score (12-2).

Yaguate claimed the Bronco Caribbean Zone title with the win; thus, advancing the team to the Bronco World Series in Los Alamitos, California, as the PONY Caribbean Zone champion. Yaguate will take on the Asia-Pacific Zone champion Chinese Taipei in the tournament's opening game Friday Aug. 3 at 10 a.m. PST.

Stats, provided by GameChanger: link

Mustang Caribbean Zone Championship Game: Yaguate, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic 8 Panama 2