| Game Summary | |||
| Result | Royals 0 at Tigers 1 | ||
| Team Pages | |||
| Scheduled | 6/19/2004 10:00a | Royals |
|
| Location | Chabot | Tigers |
|
| Game Type | Playoff | ||
| Official(s) |
Plate Umpire: Steve Burke Base Ump 1: Steve Depetris Base Ump 2: Elliott Lieberman |
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| Game Summary | In a tense and well-played finale to the North Oakland Little League Majors division tournament, the Tigers prevailed 1-0 in eight innings over the Royals. The third and fourth-seeded NOLL teams in the bracket got to the final game with back-to-back playoff wins the previous weekend. Tiger starter Adam Austin was brilliant, but he was matched by Royal ace Joe Mercer for six full innings. The pitchers’ had mirror-image games; both threw exactly 75 pitches, with Austin scattering four Royal singles and allowing just one walk. Mercer struck out five, hit one batter and walked none. Excellent defense ruled the game, as both squads displayed end-of-season form. The game turned on close plays, including a ground-rule double by Riley Fitzsimmons (4-for-4) that might otherwise have scored a Tiger run in the fourth and a breathtaking catch-and-throw by Royal centerfielder Nick Wright who gunned down Tiger Grayson Nuti tagging up from third base in the sixth. In the eighth inning, the Tigers broke the deadlock when Adam Austin came through with an RBI single following a leadoff walk to Joey Catanzarite. Andy Carlson's deep fly ball in the bottom of the eighth came up short of the fence as Fitzsimmons tracked it down to seal the victory. Grayson Nuti got the win for two innings of relief work. With the win, the Tigers earned a chance to play the NOLL regular season champion A’s for the right to move on to the District Tournament of Champions. | ||
