Little League: Reds run out of gas

Steve Virgen

SAN CLEMENTE - The final Newport Beach Little League Majors team in

the District 55 Tournament of Champions nearly advanced to a third game

Thursday at Vista Bahia Park in San Clemente.

But, the NBLL’s Reds surrendered a 4-0 lead and lost, 6-4, to the San

Clemente Giants as the winners took advantage of the field they played on

throughout the regular season.

An umpire’s hesitation call at the plate, which led to one of the

Giants’ six unearned runs, also factored in the Reds’ oust.

“It was disappointing today with all the unearned runs,” said Reds’

co-coach Fred Silva said. “But, we’re proud of this team and that they

came this far.”

The Reds began the game with a 2-0 lead after Blaine Nielsen knocked a

two-run double to score Tyler Ellis and Jake Lemmerman. Ellis singled and

Lemmerman doubled to reach.

In the third inning, Nielsen, who also pitched for the Reds, slammed

another double, this time scoring Lemmerman, who also smacked another

double, for a 3-0 lead.

Reds shortstop Brett Bartlett gave his team a four-run lead when he

blasted a shot to right field that landed just inside the foul line,

scoring Nielsen.

The Giants, however, picked up five unearned runs in the third inning.

With one out, the plate umpire hesitated before calling a Giants’ runner

safe at home, cutting the Reds’ lead to 4-3.

“This team started out 1-4,” Reds’ co-coach Dave Nielsen said. “But we

came back to win our (NBLL) division and we turned it up.”

Dave Nielsen said the Reds also overcame injuries this season. The

coaches’ sons, Blaine Nielsen and Andrew Silva, were injured early on in

the season. Blaine broke his wrist in the first game and Andrew injured

his right shoulder, a setback that did not allow him to pitch this

season.

The Reds, however, seemed poised to return to the Tournament of

Champions next year.

Blaine Nielsen and Andrew Silva, 11-year-olds, will return next

season, as does Bartlett and J.P. Gormly, a 10-year-old who “will be

twice as good next year,” Dave Nielsen said.

Said Fred Silva, “Our team for next year looks good already just based

on what we have coming back.”

The Reds were without their manager, Alan Lemmerman, who attended his

daughter’s graduation.

Four teams represented the NBLL in the Tournament of Champions,

including the Diamondbacks, Yankees and Cardinals. The Reds were the only

team to get past the first game. They defeated the Northwood Marlins,

11-5, as Jake Lemmerman went 4 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs. He

also allowed only five hits and struck out 13 as the Reds’ pitcher.

THE REDS

21 Jake Lemmerman 11 Andrew Silva

15 Eric Mooney

36 Brett Bartlett

13 Ryan Kent

6 Tyler Ellis

00 Brian Burke

17 J.P. Gormly

18 Blaine Nielsen

1 Ryan Lanni

3 Troy Hall

99 Tony Cocco