Before starting Little League District 53 all-star action, Sonoma Little League held its inaugural postseason championship tournaments for both the Majors and AAA Minors divisions over the weekend and both regular-season winners prevailed in the tourney to complete title sweeps.
The top-seeded Bears, who finished atop the Majors standings with an 18-3 regular-season record, defeated the third-seeded Falcons? (13-8) 10-0 at Hughes Field on Saturday behind pitcher Nolan Dunkle’s two-hitter and claimed the tourney crown.
Comprising the SLL Majors Division regular-season and tournament champion Bears – directed by manager Curt Dunkle and assistant ?coaches Jamie Natuzzi, Pete Smith and Mike Verdu – were Dunkle, Dax Adams, Dominic Fiorito, Joey Fiorito, Giovani Hernandez, Reed Hewitt, Kyle Hoffman, Gianni Natuzzi, Will Natuzzi, Gage Rowland, Coop Verdu and Nick Zeiter.
The tourney runner-up Falcons roster – directed by manager Johnny Armitage and ?coaches Saul Rozema, Tony Tommasi and Jim Vides – consisted of Luigi Albano-Dito?, Brady Armitage, Chris Berger, ?Anthony Carranza?, Cameron Cuda?, Lucas Martindale?, Mason Phillips, ?Dusty Pierce?, Jamie Pierce?, Tanner Rozema?, Anthony Tommasi? and Ty Vanderlinden.
In the SLL AAA Minors tournament, the regular-season champion and top-seeded Indians beat the third-seeded Astros 6-5 on Saturday to set up the Sunday final, where they pulled out a dramatic 10-8 win on a grand-slam homer by Joshua Hernandez to capture the tourney title.
The SLL AAA regular-season and tourney champion Indians – directed by manager Jim Vides and assistant coaches Johnny Armitage, Scott Anderson and Justin Silloway – consisted of ? Hernandez, Ian Anderson, Alex Anguiano, Brett Armitage, Justin Crook, Zane Magnani, Mitchell McMahon, Rickey Rosser, Joshua Silloway, Jaden Vides, Kahlil Villas-Martinis and Heraclio Zamora-Alvarado.
Comprising the runner-up Astros – directed by manager Jason Masciorini? and coaches Dave Stagnaro, Jeff Spencer and Sean Balderrama – were ?Donovan Balderrama, Collin Beatrice?, Rolo Benstead?, Giancarlo Guerrero?, Cooper Keys?, Enzo Masciorini?, Esteban Mendoza?, Dominik Mertens?, Finn Parker?, Enrique Sanchez, Casey Spencer? and Landen Waldrop.
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