Warren Printing pastes Two Guys
MONTROSE — They knew they were playing an undefeated team. It didn’t matter. They didn’t lack confidence.
The members of the Warren Printing Major Baseball team played like a confident squad against Foothill’s Two Guys from Italy on Thursday.
Warren Printing, from the Crescenta Valley Little League, smacked 12 hits – “that’s all,” Two Guys Coach Hutch Arzoumanian joked – en route to defeating a strong Two Guys squad, 11-1, in the District 16 Tri-Cities Tournament at Montrose Park. The game was called in the bottom of the fourth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.
“We’ve been the best team in our league and we [had] the confidence and the swagger to come out here knowing we could beat the other team,” said Warren Printing’s Troy Leef, who was two for three with a two-run home run to left field in the second inning.
Warren Printing (23-5) will play in the winner’s-bracket final at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Babe Herman Field. Two Guys (26-1) will play in a second-chance bracket game at 5 p.m. today.
Nick Tralongo echoed Leef’s confident remarks. Warren Printing had reason to be upbeat, after scoring two runs in the first, four in the second, one in the third and four more in the fourth.
Tralongo led his team, as he went three for three with three runs scored. Pitcher Scott Vinceri added a pair of hits and two runs.
“The boys came to hit,” Warren Printing Coach Mike Vinceri said. “All year our kids have been swinging the ball well.”
Vinceri received production throughout his lineup, as leadoff batter Zo Respicio ended the game with a two-run double that plated pinch-hitter Wayne Baker (two for two with two runs) and No. 7 hitter Jagr Proiette (two walks). No. 9 hitter Leo Yoon also scored after ripping a triple down the right-field line in the second and Sean Park added a run for Warren Printing.
“You can’t get the ball past those guys,” said Arzoumanian, whose team committed five errors that led to five unearned runs. “You can’t make errors. You can’t let the ball go by you. You can’t make mistakes against a good team.
“They hit one through 12.”
Two Guys cut Warren Printing’s lead in half with a run by Chris Goud in the second inning, but stranded two runners in the frame and didn’t threaten again.
“Our team has played tough opponents all year,” Mike Vinceri said. “They’ve been battle-tested. [Two Guys] were a tough team, but the boys came in with a lot of confidence.”