Wildcats 13 team wins title

The Western Nevada Junior Wildcats 13 and under baseball tean had its share of thrilling comeback wins on its way to winning the BPA World Series Qualifier over the weekend in North Tahoe.

The Wildcats will play in the BPA World Series August 4-8 in San Diego.

The Wildcats took the title of the seven-team tournament in North Tahoe by beating The Elk Grove (Calif.) Bulldogs 16-15 in a slugfest after falling behind 8-0 after the first two innings. The Wildcats got it going in the third inning when Colby Blueberg hit a three-run double to begin the dramatic comeback.

The Wildcats took a 15-14 lead in the sixth on Conner Beattie's two-run double by Conner Beatie. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Nick Domitrovich retired the side in order, ending the game with his ninth strikeout. Domitrovich also walked just one in his six innings of work to pick up the win.

Blueberg went 5-for-5 with three doubles, four RBIs and three runs, Drew Moreland was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, Dylan Sawyers was 2-for-5 with three runs and Beattie was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.

In the semifinals, the Wildcats spotted the No. 1 seed, The Vacaville (Calif.) Bulldogs a 5-0 lead before coming back for a 7-6 win. Chance Quilling provided a strong pitching performance to keep the Wildcats in teh game and Blueberg finished the game with a strikeout with the tying run on second to send the Wildcats to the championship game. Sawyers was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs.

The Wildcats, who were the No. 2 seed, had lost to Vacaville 8-6. But they came back to beat Hard 90 Command Baseball Academy 15-3 and beat Hard 90 Rival 1 10-1 to advance to the semifinals. Against Hard 90 Rival 1, Moreland didn't allow a run over four innings, walking just one.

Blueberg (11-for-16, four doubles, seven RBI, seven runs), Sawyers (10-for-15, two doubles, one triple, one home run, five RBI, nine runs); Moreland (5-for-7, two RBI, four runs), Tim Baylor (7-for-7, three doubles, seven runs), Brock Pradere (5-for-12, six RBI, six runs) were all named to the all-tournament team. Domitrovich (5-for-15) also made the all-tournament team as a pitcher. Rounding out the squad were Max Keller, Austin Pacheco and Cole DuFresne.