Cooperstown Dreams Park hosted its 10th National American Tournament of Champions (N.A.T.C.) this past week. On Thursday night, September 1st, two teams were left to face off for the title - fourth-seeded Southern California Redwings from Rancho Cucamonga, California and seventh-seeded Boys of Baseball National Travel Team from Auburn, Alabama, both 12 and under youth baseball teams. The teams combined for 15 hits and nine runs to provide an exciting atmosphere for the thousands on hand. Although the Redwings recorded one more hit, it was the Boys of Baseball that scored one more run. Boys of Baseball clinched the N.A.T.C. title with a 5-4 victory. As the visiting team, Boys of Baseball quickly jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first. Starting pitcher Julius Gaines hit a long shot into center field which was mishandled by the Redwings. Rounding first on the error, Gaines safely reached second base on the play. Short stop Jackie Lopez followed with a line drive to center field for a single and advanced Gaines to third. Third in the line-up, winning pitcher Michael Gill grounded out to short stop as Gaines scored for the team's first run. Although down by one going into the bottom of the inning, the Redwings didn't show any fear. Center fielder Daniel Camarena started off with a long fly out to center field. Catcher Christian Lopes followed with a hit by pitch. Lopes moved to second on first baseman's Erick Cruz's grounder to left field. Runners on first and second, clean-up hitter Josh Anderson sent the first pitch over the center field wall for a three-run home run. The Redwings took the lead, 3-1. While the second inning was scoreless for both teams, the third was prosperous for the Boys of Baseball. With one out and second to bat in the inning, Gill advanced to first with base on balls. After Gill stole second, center fielder Delino DeShields hit a RBI double, scoring Gill. DeShields, who stole third, scored the tying run when catcher Skyler Ewing grounded out at first base. As the Boys of Baseball defense held the Redwings in the third and fourth innings, the offense took the lead in the fourth. Right fielder and seventh in the line-up Jo-EL Bennett led off with a line-drive single to left field. Next batter, designated hitter Dalton DiNatale, sent the first pitch to center field for a single. Bennett moved into scoring position on first baseman Bert Guzman's fielder's choice grounder to third. Top of the line-up and one out, Gaines produced a clean bunt for the squeeze play, scoring Bennett to break the tie, 4-3. In the fifth, Boys of Baseball took a 5-3 lead when DeShields hit a 300' home run over the left field wall. The Redwings scored its final run in the fifth. Lopes singled to right center. He moved to second on Cruz's base hit to center field. A throwing error from center field allowed Lopes to advance to third. Lopes scored the team's final run when Anderson grounded out to second base. The Boys of Baseball offense was led by DeShields who went 2-for-3, including a double, home run, two runs scored and two RBI. DiNatale also went 2-for-3. Lopes anchored the Redwings' offense with a 2-for-2 performance and two runs scored. Anderson finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBI while Cruz was 2-for-3 and one run scored. Gill recorded the win on the mound with three strike outs. Anderson closed out for the Redwings, throwing two solid innings with four strike outs.

The week 10 Cooperstown Dreams Park championship game featured a West Coast battle between the first-seeded Seattle Stars of Seattle, Washington and the third-seeded Star Maker Stingrays Blue of Redwood City, California on Thursday night, August 25. The Stingrays overcame their underdog status and clinched the title with a 6-4 victory. Star Maker Stingrays Blue finished the regular tournament 7-0 with 1.71 averaged runs allowed for the third seed. The Stingrays didn't waste time, putting three runs on the board in the first inning. Pitcher Tyler Goeddel led off with a ground ball single to center field. Left fielder Ryan Parker followed with a line drive single to left field that advanced Goeddel to second. Clean-up hitter and first baseman Geo Saba swung at a high pitch on a 0-2 count, sending the ball deep over the wall in center field for a three-run home run. The Seattle Stars cut the lead to two when pitcher Mark Klick hit a solo home run to left center in the bottom of the first. The Stars' defense held Star Maker scoreless in the second while its offense posted two unearned runs to tie the game. The Stingrays broke the tie in the third when Goeddel scored his second run of the game. He started the inning with a single. A stolen base to second, Goeddel moved to third on Blandino's grounder to left field. Goeddel scored the tie breaker on a wild pitch. Star Maker scored two insurance runs in the fifth. Parker singled to centerfield and Blandino followed with a two-run home run to left center. Goeddel threw a complete game for the win, striking out seven. Offensively, Goeddel finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Blandino was 2-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI, Parker was 1-for-3 with two runs scored and Saba was 1-for-3 with one run scored and three RBI. The Stars offense was led by Klick who went 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Also collecting hits for Seattle were right fielder Derek Callahan and extra hitter Avery Kain. Despite the loss, Klick pitched a solid game recording 11 strikeouts.

Despite the first chilly Thursday night in the 2005 summer season at Cooperstown Dreams Park, the stands were packed for the week nine championship game featuring the 14th-seeded North Coast Dream Eagles from Victor, New York versus the 16th-seeded Anaheim Rebels of Anaheim, California. The Rebels defeated the Eagles, 20-4, to clinch the title with an 11-run burst in the top of the 6th inning. The Anaheim Rebels finished the regular tournament 6-1 with 5.50 averaged runs allowed for the 14th seed, and displayed a significant offensive game, recording 15 hits including eight in the sixth and final inning. In the sixth, the Rebels recorded two three-run home runs off the bats of center fielder RJ Ledesma and third baseman Luis Gonzalez. Gonzalez led the Rebels, batting 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, a double, four runs scored and four RBI. Designated hitter Bobby Frisch finished 3-for-3 with two solo home runs, four runs scored and two RBI. Serna went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Starting pitcher Stephen Shaw threw 2-2/3 solid innings, striking out two. Juan Berumen came in for relief in the third, striking out two and allowing just one hit and one run - a solo home run by Eagles' catcher Cal Andrews. The Rebels' defense allowed the Eagles just four hits. In addition to Andrews home run, right fielder Daniel Glamack second baseman Parker Ross each hit a double and third baseman CJ Roberts had a single. I t wasn't the best of nights for the Eagles.

The 30th seed in the championship game? It has never been done before at Cooperstown Dreams Park until Thursday night, August 8. As the North East Ohio Hurricanes from Cleveland, Ohio became the lowest-seeded team to not only appear in the title game but win the tournament. The Hurricanes used 15 hits en route to a 13-5 victory over eighth-seeded NC Team USA from Asheboro, North Carolina, clinching the week eight championship at Cooperstown Dreams Park. North East Ohio Hurricanes, who finished the regular tournament 4-3 with 4.71 averaged runs allowed for the 30th seed, didn't waste time putting runs on the board. Four runs on four hits in the first inning gave the Hurricanes a 4-0 lead. However, NC Team USA closed the gap to two with two solo home runs in the bottom of the inning. In the second, the Hurricanes recorded their biggest offensive inning of the game, posting six runs on six hits, three of which were home runs. Right fielder Anthony Morino led off with a walk. He advanced to second on extra hitter Eric Blaha's single to left field. Morino and Blaha both scored when centerfielder Chris Browning hit a long shot to left center for the team's first home run. With no outs, catcher Aaron Merrero followed with a grounder to left center. On a 1-2 count, first baseman Cody Cooper hit the team's second home run, a two-run shot to right center. After Cooper, short stop Vince Bartolone grounded out to short and second baseman Christian Verde struck out. Two outs, nobody on and a 3-1 count, third baseman Cody Simon hit the ball deep in to centerfield, lifting the Hurricanes to a 10-2 lead. The Hurricanes offense continued to dominate with three more runs throughout the game before the final out while the defense held NC Team USA to just three more runs and five hits. Left fielder Sean Kettering led the Hurricanes offense, batting 4-for-4 with two RBI and two stolen bases. Cooper was 2-for-3 including a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base. Blaha finished the game 2-for-3 with one runs scored and a stolen base. Winning pitcher Joe Majercak threw for 2-2/3 innings, recording one strike out. Verde took over on the mound in the third, giving the Hurricanes 2-1/3 strong innings with four strikeouts, no hits, no runs and no walks. Catcher Luke Gragg led NC Team USA's offense, batting 2-for-2 with a home run and a double, one run scored and two RBI.

It was the Heat versus the Titans on a muggy night in the week seven championship game at Cooperstown Dreams Park on Thursday night, August 4. The 11th-seeded Tallahassee Titans from Tallahassee, Florida over came the ninth-seeded Houston Heat (Houston, TX), 5-2, for the title. Tallahassee Titans finished the regular tournament 6-1 with 2.14 averaged runs allowed for the 11th seed. Tallahassee was first on the board with a second-inning solo homerun by left fielder Martin Shipman. Houston tied the game in the bottom of the inning when catcher Michael Resnick scored off Tallahassee's catcher Joe Huntley overthrew to third on a pick-off attempt. While the third was scoreless, both teams put runs on the board in the fourth. Tallahassee took a 3-1 lead in the top of the inning but Houston cut the lead to one in the bottom with a solo home run from starting pitcher Cole Lankford. During the final two innings of play, the Titans offense fired up with two insurance runs while its defense cooled off the Heat, holding Houston to no runs and one hit. Tallahassee's offense and defense were anchored by winning pitcher John Nogowski. He was 3-for-3 at the plate with one run scored. On the mound, he threw a complete game with seven strikeouts and two pick-offs in the first inning. The Heat offense was led by left fielder Cameron Neal and third baseman Ryan Farney, who each went 2-for-3. The Tallahassee Titans are three-time Dizzy Deal Florida State champions (2003, 2004 & 2005) and two-time Dizzy Dean World Series champions (2004 & 2005). They reached the Final Four at the Smoltz Griggom Wood Bat in 2005 and at the Triple Crown Fall Nationals in 2004. The Tallahassee Titans organization clinched the 2004 week seven Cooperstown Dreams Park title. Will Finley and John Nogowski both returned from last year's team. This was Houston Heat's first tournament together.

A chilly night at Cooperstown Dreams Park featured the top seeded teams in the week six championship game on Thursday night. What first appeared to be a blow-out turned into a one-run game as the top-seeded South Oakland A' from Madison Heights, Michigan came back to defeat the second-seeded North Tampa Yankees of Oldsmar, Florida, 6-5. The South Oakland A's, who finished the regular tournament 7-0 with 1.14 averaged runs allowed fell behind 1-0 after the first inning. In the top of the second, North Tampa added four runs to their total to take a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, South Oakland came alive offensively. With no hits, the A's capitalized on two errors and two walks to score three runs. Oakland tied the game in the third with two runs on two hits. Starting pitcher Alex Maodus led-off the inning with a single to right center. He moved to second when right fielder Bobby Pardon walked. Both runners advanced to respective bases on a wild pitch. Maodus scored the team's fourth run on left fielder Mike Doloff's ground out to second, moving Pardon to third. Third baseman Paul Lobur knocked in the tying run with his single to centerfield. With the game tied and three innings left, the As defense limited the Yankees to one hit and four batters per inning. Although South Oakland committed one error in the fourth, North Tampa had one in the fourth and sixth, which led to the winning run. In the sixth, South Oakland's second baseman Ryan Horvath reached first on a base on balls. He moved to second when extra hitter Jake Baldwin grounded out to second. First baseman Scott Taylor recorded the second out with a fly out to centerfield - Horvath didn't advance. Centerfielder Mitch Kozlowski hit a long ball to right field that was mishandled and led to the winning run. Kozlaowski anchored the A's offense with two hits and one RBI. Also collecting hits were Keith, Maodus and Lobur. Keith replaced Maodus on the mound in the second inning to record the win. Games led the Yankees offense going 2-for-4 and two runs scored. Left fielder Chris Rheaume went 2-for-3, including a solo home run in the second inning. South Oakland As 2005 overall record to date is 95-3. They are the 2005 League champs with a record of 24-0. South Oakland As won 11 of 13 tournaments during the 2005 season and the USSSA Super Hit. The team will compete in a tournament at Disney World beginning this Saturday. The South Oakland As are the 2004 & 2005 USSSA Michigan State Champions, 2005 CABA Michigan State Champions and ranked number one in the country by USSSA and AAA this year. North Florida Yankees three-year record is 250-23. They are the 2004 Florida State AAU Champions and 2005 Florida State AAU Runner-ups. The team hit a total of 24 home runs: Morgan Cowan hit 11; Kevin Games had five; Cody Mizelle had four; and TJ Wharton, Andrew Brodbeck, Chris Rheaume and Nathan Mann each hit one. This week, Kevin Games led the team in stolen bases with 29 and Morgan Cowan led the team in assists with 11.

The first cool Thursday evening in weeks featured a week five championship match-up of the ninth-seeded Middie Pride from Middletown, Ohio against the 14th-seeded Rochester Diamond Dawgs from Rochester, New York. The Middie Pride used three runs in the fifth inning to end the game early with the 12-run mercy rule to earn the title, 13-1. Middie Pride finished the regular tournament 7-0 with 4.29 averaged runs allowed for the ninth seed. Rochester quickly put a run on the board in the first when catcher Branden Rhodes hit a solo home run to right center. Unfortunately for Rochester, Middie Pride was not intimidated. In the bottom of the first, Middie Pride scored three runs on three hits. Third baseman Alec Flutz led off with a single up the middle. Two batters later, Austin Downing hit a two-run home run to left center. Middie Pride collected their third run when left fielder Alex Leach, who advanced to first with base on balls, scored on centerfielder Cameron Calhoun's single to left field. Middie Pride continued to score at least one run per inning while holding the Diamond Dawgs to no runs and two hits. Downing showcased a tremendous offensive game batting 3-for-3, including two home runs, three runs scored and four RBI. Flutz and Calhoun finished 2-for-3 with one run scored. Middie Pride's starting pitcher Kyle Schwarber was solid on the mound throwing 4-1/3 innings pitched with three strike outs and allowing just three hits. Downing closed the game, striking out two of the three batters he faced - the first batter walked. For Rochester, Rhodes, second baseman Danny Jenkins and designated hitter Taylor Byrne collected the team's three hits.

After a hard rain and short delay, the week five Cooperstown Dreams Park championship game got under way, showcasing the second-seeded St. Louis Orioles from St. Louis, Missouri and the fourth-seeded Virginia Blasters from Chesapeake, Virginia. Tough defense and an unstoppable offense led the Orioles to a 7-2 victory. The St. Louis Orioles started the scoring with four runs in the first inning to establish a lead that was never lost. Short stop Ryan Mansfield started the inning with a single to left field. Two batters later and two outs on the board, clean-up hitter Kyle Bouman hit a shot to left field for a two-run home run. Right fielder Dominic Kacich followed with a grounder to short that was not fielded cleanly allowing him to reach first base. Kacich quickly stole second and third while third baseman Paul Moritz was at the plate. On a wild pitch and a swinging strike three, Moritz reached first and Kacich scored. Moritz scored the fourth and final run of the inning off first baseman Blake Kolons' base hit to left field. Virginia Blasters' Centerfielder Steve Bush led off the third with a single to right field. Short stop Justin Lee's double to left field gave Bush the clearance to cross the plate for Virginia's first run. The Orioles salted the victory away as they scored three more runs in the fourth including two when second baseman Alex Brown homered to centerfield. The Orioles' defense allowed Virginia just two runs on six hits. Leading the Virginia offense was Hunter Higgerson who went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Bouman anchored the Orioles' offense, batting 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run scored. Also collecting two hits for the Orioles were Mansfield and Kolons. Winning pitcher David Schmidt threw for a solid four innings, striking out four and walking one. Bouman was brought in to close the game, striking out the last two batters with six consecutive strikes thrown. The St. Louis Orioles are the 2001 State Champions, 2002 State Champions, 2003 AAYBA National Champs, 2004 AAYBA National Champs, 2005 Missouri-Kansas State Champs, and 2001-2004 Kirkwood League Gold Champions. In 2002, they were 12th in USSSA World Series. This week, the Orioles turned 5 double plays over 5 consecutive innings. The Virginia Blasters have recorded the following accomplishments: 2nd place at USSSA State championships; 4th place at Virginia AAU States; 2nd place at USSSA Eastern Region championship; 1st place at USSSA state qualifier; and 1st place at Cal Ripken tournament.

The fourth-seeded Rocket City Stingers, from Huntsville, AL, used strong pitching to bring home the week three Cooperstown Dreams Park championship. Stingers' ace AJ Cole threw all six innings, striking out 10 and giving up only one hit, to lift his team over second-seeded Friendswood Falcons (Friendswood, TX), 5-2, on Thursday night, July 7. The Rocket City Stingers, who finished the regular tournament 7-0 with 2.29 averaged runs allowed for the fourth seed, jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. Second baseman Todd Wilkinson lead-off with a single into centerfield. Cole followed with a line drive single to left field which advanced Wilkinson to third and he eventually scored on a wild pitch. The Stingers' second run in the third inning came when Cole hit a solo home run to left field. In the bottom of the third, the Friendswood Falcons tied the game as clean-up hitter Carter Wall hammered a 2-1 pitch over the wall for a home run with Jonathan Mejia aboard. The Stingers scored the go ahead runs in the 4th innning without a hit. Despite four errors in the game, Rocket City's defense held Friendswood to no more than four batters per inning during the last three innings while the offense prevailed with two runs in the fourth to clinch the title. The Stingers' offense was led by left fielder Austin Hatfield who went 2-for-3. The Rocket City Stingers are the 2003 USSSA "Runner-up" champions in World Series with a 70-13 record, 2004 USSSA South Regional World Series champions with a 70-15 record and 2005 USSSA Alabama State champions with a record of 75-7. The team has won 11 tournament championships this season. During week three at Cooperstown Dreams Park they hit 50 home runs with 11 of 14 players hitting at least one home run.

Although there was a chill in the air, Danny Muniz of the Broward Bulldogs from Miramar, Florida heated things up with a third-inning grand slam, helping lift his team to the week two Cooperstown Dreams Park title. The first-seeded Bulldogs defeated the third-seeded Northwest Shockers (Seattle, WA), 8-5, in the championship on Thursday, June 30. The Broward Bulldogs, who finished the regular tournament 7-0 with a 1.33 averaged runs allowed, found themselves down after the first inning. In the second, Broward got on the board and tied the game with a sacrifice bunt from winning pitcher Jimmy Nesselt. The Shockers pulled away in the third with two home runs from short stop Jose Olazagasti and extra hitter Dorian Rivera. However, the lead was short lived. The third started at the top of the line-up for the Bulldogs. Third baseman Jose Brizuela advanced to first when he was hit by a pitch. Second baseman Alexander Fernandez followed with a single to right field. Brizuela and Fernandez moved to third and second bases respectfully on a wild pitch. Two batters later, first baseman Mike Melendez walked to load the bases. Centerfielder Albert Almora hit an RBI-single to bring Broward within one, 3-2. Bases still loaded, Muniz, left fielder and sixth in the line-up, took the first pitch thrown at him and sent the ball over the center field wall for a grand slam and lift the Bulldogs over the Shockers, 6-3. The Shockers managed two more runs with solo shots from left fielder Turner Gill and starting pitcher Tyger Garces. Broward scored two insurance runs in the fifth to seal the victory. The Broward offense was led by Muniz who went 2-for-3 with five RBI. Almore finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI. The Bulldogs defense was led on the mound with the combination pitching of Nesselt and Andy Suarez, each throwing for three innings. Nesslet recorded three strikeouts and Suarez had six. The Northwest Shockers finished the regular tournament 7-0 with 1.86 averaged runs allowed. The Broward Bulldogs 2004-2005 overall record is 84-5. In 2003, they were Cooperstown Dreams Park 10 and under runner-ups. The Bulldogs are three-time Triple Crown National Champions (2001, 2002 & 2004), USSSA 9 and under World Series Champions, 2004 USSSA Elite 16 runner-ups, and two-time Premier Travel League defending champions. Between 2001 to present, Broward Bulldogs have won 56 local tournaments.

An errorless game helped the San Diego Stars youth baseball organization from San Diego, California clinch it's fifth Cooperstown Dreams Park 10 and under title. The fourth-seeded San Diego Stars North, a 10 and under youth baseball team, defeated second-seeded Tamiami Rangers from Miami, Florida, 5-0, on Thursday night, June 23. The Stars finished the regular tournament 7-0 with 1.86 averaged runs allowed for the fourth seed, had a quiet night offensively until the fourth inning. With one out, right fielder Taylor McNamara hit a grounder to second base that was not handled cleanly. A runner on first and a 0-2 count, short stop Justin Baker knocked a long fly ball into center field, moving McNamara to second. Third baseman Ramsey Romano followed with a ground out to third base, placing runners on second and third. Batting ninth, left fielder Dylan Eisner singled to right field, driving in McNamara and Baker for the Stars first two runs. Tamiami held San Diego in the fifth to just three batters. However, the Stars used their hitting skills and Rangers' errors to post three more runs in the sixth and final inning. McNamara and Eisner singled and scored while Romano also scored. Baker completed the game 2-for-3 with one run scored. Eisner went 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. Mike Martin pitched a complete game for the win. Tamiami's offense was led by short stop Alex DeGoti, who went 2-for-2. Also collecting hits for Tamiami were right fielder Zack Wall, catcher J.C. Baxley and center fielder Kevin Suarez. TheTamiami Rangers finished the regular tournament 7-0 with 1.00 averaged runs allowed. Both teams received a first round bye. The San Diego Stars North's current overall record is 87-6.