Pin stripes prevail as Yanks take Reds for Cope Tourney

The May 30 match-up between the Golden Gate National Yanks and the Greater Naples Reds would decide the champion of the 15th annual Cope Tournament for majors, but that is not how Yankees coach Dave Bullock approached it.

Photo by KEN LANE, Collier Citizen

Brendan Long of the Greater Naples Reds, May 30 at Gulf Coast, in the Cope Tournament championship.

"Everyone else is going to treat this thing like it's the seventh game of the World Series," he told his young group before the game. "Not us; it's just another game."

Just last month, his Yanks got hyped up and were knocked out of the quarterfinals of the Top Team Classic in San Carlos. This time, the pin stripes prevailed and outlasted the Reds, 3-2 in in seven innings.

A two-out scorcher by Alex Vierra made its way past the Red's third baseman, scoring Miguel Morel with the go-ahead, winning run.

"I knew that we would come back," said Vierra. "We didn't give up, we knew that we were still in it." Following a first inning that put each club with a run on the board, offense for both sides remained silent through the third, and what many could consider a clinic in defense, prevailed. The 5'9" 12-year old Vierra led the charge for the Yanks on the mound with 11 strikeouts in six innings pitched and only four hits given up.

Photo by KEN LANE, Collier Citizen

Golden Gate National's Alex Vierra, on the mound for the Yankees in their 3-2 win over the Greater Naples Reds, May 30, at Gulf Coast Little League. Vierra pitched six innings, struck out 11 and gave up only four hits.

"Overall, we played great defense," Reds coach Chris Ott said. "That was just a dominant pitcher tonight. Our game plan was small ball and we did that. We just couldn't close it out." The Reds broke the deadlock in the top of the fourth when Hunter Smith gave his team the lead, scoring from third on a passed ball. The one run lead would be carried into the bottom of the sixth when the Yankees responded.

A one-out hit by Vierra was followed-up by a walk drawn by Lane Bullock. A hit by Morel went past the Reds' first baseman, tying the game at two runs apiece and set-up the bottom of the seventh nail-biting finale.

"We knew it was going to be a good game," said an unsurprised Bullock.

"The Reds are a great team, well coached and a class-act all around.

This could have gone either way." Bullock added that with Vierra on the mound, the team always has a chance.

"He is going to keep you in a game no matter what," he said of Vierra, who pitched a no-hitter and perfect game during the regular season.

"As long as you give him some help, he will keep it close. He is a great kid, with a lot of talent and an absolute pleasure to coach." Bullock went on to say that overall, he was blessed with good pitching and great hitting all the way through the line-up.

The GGN Yankees finished the regular season with a 18-2 record. The team includes Lane Bullock, Alex Vierra, Jacob Cabrera, Michael Simmons, A.J. Lee, Miguel Morel, Emerson Rowe, Cody Lucas, Kyle Lucas and Jeff Solo.

The GN Reds finished the regular season with a 12-8 record. Nathan Jones, Hunter Smith, Brendan Carroll, Brendan Long, Nick Ott, Alex Nickel, Travis Manhardt, Gage Ott, Jack Smith, Emilio Menchaca, Ford Ott and Ryan Carroll, make up the team.