CHAMPS! TERRIERS CLAIM TOC TITLE

‎August 13, 2017

It was a come from behind barn burner! 

The 18u Terriers won the NTN Tournament of Champions clash in Niagara Falls N.Y. on Sunday afternoon by a 7-4 margin over the  Niagara Thunderwolves.  

It is the second year in a row that the Terriers  claimed the crown.

The Terriers had a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the third‎ but the Thunderwolves struck for four runs to take a 4-1 lead.

They maintained the three run lead until the sixth when the Terriers closed the gap to 4-3.

Nolan Gallo bounced a single through the left side to reach first and start what would be a critical two run mini rally.

George Tsiflikiotis was next in and he hit a ground ball retiring Gallo at second, but George beat the relay to first. The Terriers' top hitter all weekend was Nick Parsons and once again he came through with a hit to move George to second.

That set the stage for Ryan O’Halloran who laced a two RBI triple to the fence in left center field scoring Parsons and Tsiflikiotis .

The clutch hit by Ryan made it 4-3, however the Terriers were retired after that.

Terriers pitcher Sebastian Santos who had relieved lefty Zach Bayfield held the Thunderwolves at bay in the bottom of the sixth to give their offense a chance with three outs remaining.

After the first Terrier was retired in the top of the seventh, Max Von Gemmingen drew a one out walk, then was pinch run for by Andrew Giorno. 

Brenden McQuinn was next in and he also walked to set up a first and second for Dylan Whittaker who drove an RBI single through the right side scoring Giorno. 4-4. 

The next Terriers hitter was third baseman George Tsiflikiotis ‎and he delivered the knock out punch by scorching a two RBI single to left that scored Whittaker and McQuinn. 

Tsiflikiotis crossed later in the inning as an insurance run to make it 7-4. Ryan O’Halloran picked up the RBI on the ground out.

After recording the first out in the bottom of the seventh a Thunderwolves batter reached first, but any hopes of a comeback were snuffed when Sebastian Santos induced an unassisted double play by shortstop Ryan O’Halloran.

Dean Dicenzo managed the team and was assisted by pitching coach Scott Van de valk, coaches John Milton and Tim Gasparotto on the victory.