Continental 11's capture second straight district crown

Posted 7/15/14

The Warwick Continental 10-year-old all-star team made a name for itself last summer, capturing the District 3 championship.

One year later, as 11-year-olds, Continental is just as good, and it …

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Continental 11's capture second straight district crown

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The Warwick Continental 10-year-old all-star team made a name for itself last summer, capturing the District 3 championship.

One year later, as 11-year-olds, Continental is just as good, and it picked up another championship Sunday.

Playing South Kingstown American in the district championship game, Continental scored six times in the second inning to blow the game open en route to a 10-2 victory.

The win capped a dominant tournament for Continental, which won all four games it played on its way to the title. It defeated Coventry National, Coventry American and South Kingstown American twice to get the job done.

“It’s a talented group of kids who also understand that you need to work hard,” said manager Mike Gannon. “That’s the difference.”

Tyler Amore earned the victory on the mound, pitching 5.2 innings before he hit the 85-pitch mark, forcing him from the game one out away from the end. Amore struck out five batters and allowed just four hits. He gave up a two-run home run to Zac Zyons in the first inning but didn’t give up a single run the rest of the way.

From the end of the first to the end of the third inning, he retired eight consecutive batters.

“He’s been one of our horses the last two years,” Gannon said of Amore. “I was hoping he could get it all, but to get within one out in an all-star game with just 85 pitches is every efficient. He pitched great.”

Offensively, Continental got contributions throughout the lineup. Tyrell Bernal led off the game with a solo home run and the hits just kept coming, as the team ended up with 12.

Bernal’s shot gave Continental the early lead, and a two-run single by Caden Haley made it 3-0 before South Kingstown ever came to bat.

Continental never trailed.

“The one thing you can say about this team is that one through nine, anyone is capable of hitting a home run,” Gannon said. “It’s a really deep offensive lineup.”

It was the second inning, though, that put Continental in the driver’s seat for the district title. After Zyons had brought South Kingstown within a run at 3-2 thanks to his first-inning home run, Continental put up six runs against South Kingstown pitcher Ben Brotti – all with two outs.

Aidan Warrener led off the frame with a single, and after an out, Bernal and Jeremy Ashman walked to load the bases with one down. South Kingstown retired the next batter on a fielder’s choice, keeping Continental from scoring, but Jack Gannon drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-2. The next batter, Amore, roped a two-run double to left-center, plating two more runners. Haley followed that with a two-run double of his own to make it 8-2, and a single by Mason Provoyeur gave Continental a seven-run lead.

“That’s been a trait of this team overall,” Mike Gannon said. “The group is pretty focused on the task at hand. They’re still 11, and they’ll goof off if you let them, but overall they’ve got a business-like approach.”

Amore went to work on the mound from there, not allowing another base runner until he hit Zyons to open the fourth. Undeterred, Amore worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in that inning, and did the same thing in the fifth. His offense tacked on a run in the fifth when Bernal scored on a wild pitch after drawing a leadoff walk to make it 10-2.

In the bottom of the sixth, Amore surrendered an infield single to start but retired the next two men before hitting his limit. Bernal came on and struck out the only batter he faced, setting off a celebration for the second consecutive season.

“Our goal this year is to do better than we did last year,” Gannon said. “We know nothing is guaranteed, and to be at the states you have to win your district.”

Now it’s back to the state tournament for Continental, which came in third place last summer.

The 11-year-old state tournament will be held at Johnston Memorial Park, beginning on Saturday and running through next Friday, July 25.

Continental will play both Saturday and Sunday in the four-team, double-elimination tournament.

“I think overall we are as good as anybody, but if we don’t play well we’ll lose,” Gannon said. “I think you can say that about almost any 11-year-old team at this level. I’m really excited to take this team and represent Continental again.”

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