SRV Nationals sweep through Babe Ruth 15U state tournament
Tony Trejo hits game ending single

Monday, July 21, 2008 11:12 AM PDT

Scott Ford | Argus Observer The Babe Ruth 15U Nationals completed a perfect appearance during the state tournament this past weekend. The Nationals defeated Baker 10-0 Sunday to stake claim to the Northern Oregon state title and will now take their game to the regional tournament in Lewiston, Idaho, beginning July 28.

Argus Observer sports staff

Ontario—No team could hinder the SRV Nationals during the Babe Ruth state tournament held this past week at the Elks Memorial Field in Ontario.

The Nationals completed a perfect state tournament Sunday with a 10-0 shut out over Baker to claim the Northern Oregon title.

In a game that featured 14 hits for the Nationals, Baker was outmatched from the onset.

The Nationals began its scoring barrage in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of runs for an early 2-0 lead. That lead remained until the home half of the fourth inning, when the Nationals added two more runs and led 4-0.

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Kyle Barras, the Nationals starting pitcher, mowed down the Baker batters as he allowed four hits while striking out nine and walking only one.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Nationals all but put the game away with five runs for a 9-0 lead.

Baker made a threat in the top of the sixth inning with back-to-back hits putting runners at second and third, but Barras and the Nationals defense came through and kept the shut out alive. In the home half of the sixth inning, Zach Stratton reached on a double to left-center field. Then Tony Trejo came to the plate. Trejo drove a ball past a diving Baker third baseman to score Stratton for the Nationals tenth run and ending the game.

The Nationals team members all sprinted to home plate in celebration as they completed writing their ticket to Lewiston, Idaho, for the Babe Ruth 15U regional tournament.

Barras was named player of the game for his outstanding pitching and for going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and scoring the game winning run. In addition to the player of the game award, Barras was also named the tournament MVP.

Stratton finished the game going 2-for-3 with a run scored, Trejo went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored Carlos Barba added a 2-for-3 day at the plate with an RBI.

Cole Huffman, Brian Navarrette and Eddie Lopez each picked up an RBI in the win.

The Nationals will leave for Lewiston Sunday and hit the field for their first game Monday.

Baker      20

SRV Americans      6

In the semifinals against Baker, the SRV Nationals fell into a deep hole after the first inning of play trailing 7-0. Baker batted around the order in the first inning and chased Americans’ pitcher Blake Purnell off the mound after facing five hitters.

Baker pounded out 17 hits in the win and committed only one error. The SRV Americans collected eight hits and scored all of their runs in the top of the fourth inning, but still trailed 16-6. Baker added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth for the final margin of victory. With the loss, the SRV Americans finished in a tie for third place.