Hot bats propel Detonators to victory

The Douglas County Amateur Baseball Association 10U Detonators are on the road to amateur youth baseball’s equivalent of the World Series. The team began their season in late April poised to make a trip to the Triple Crown World Series national tournament in Steamboat, Colo., July 18-23.

The team faced down the Saints in an evening match-up at Youth Sports Inc. After a weak start for both teams, the Detonators found their groove defeating the Saints 22-1.

If the Detonators game April 26 is any indication, the team is well on their way to playing their post season in Colorado. Detonators coach Joe Dineen said the team is showing an early progression to take them through the rest of the season.

“The kids are really developing well,” Dineen said. “They played well tonight. They came out not as focused as we would like but they got it going.”

It took a triple from Wilson Hack in the first inning that send Bryce Montes de Oca flying over home plate to fuel the Detonators’ spirits and focus their thoughts on the game. Zach McNabb hit a single late in the first to bring home teammate Tanner Glazer and gave the Detonators a strong lead going into the bottom of the first.

Ellis Springe stepped up to hit a single for the Saints followed by another single from Ty Walmsley in an effort to catch up to the Detonators’ luck at the plate.

The Detonators added to their lead in the second, third and fourth innings. Hunter Fellers swung at the ball with a resounding whack to advance the team in the second inning. Wilson Hack swung away connecting for a double that sent Montes de Oca and Jacob Seratte home in the fourth. Cameron Pope followed up with a single to bring Wilson Hack home and Weston Hack to third base.

Detonator Jacob Seratte bats April 26 at Youth Sports Inc. The Detonators pounded the Saints 22-1.

The Saints tried to battle back against the Detonators’ heavy barrage. The team mustered up two base hits from Springe in the third and fourth innings and another from Nico Palacio in the fourth, but couldn’t drive their runners home.

Dineen said the Detonators gained the upper hand with some help from some fine-tuning in practices.

“We have been focusing on each individual position for all of the kids,” Dineen said. “It’s really about defining specific positions.”

The team’s fine-tuning paid off at the top of the fifth when Montes de Oca smacked one to outfield that sent him around to third and Fellers crashing through home in a spray of dirt. Seratte hit a double only seconds later to finish the job and drive Montes de Oca home.

Dineen said Montes de Oca’s triple was the highlight of the game.

After all the excitement of the Detonators’ runs, the Saints eked out a run of their own before the game was stopped for the two-hour time limit at the bottom of the fifth inning. Caleb D’Armond swung two strikes before finally pounding the ball for a hit to second base that sent Tristan Garber-Turner across home plate. The Saints’ lone run was not enough to redeem them against the Detonators’ explosive play, and the game finished 22-1.

After snatching the victory the Detonators exited the field with the hopes of a visit to the Triple Crown World Series in the very near future.