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Youth baseball: Greater Naples 9-10s win state semifinal in extra innings
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FREEPORT — Greater Naples got off to a fast start Monday night but needed extra innings to finish off Oviedo, 12-6, and advance to the 9-and 10-year-old state tournament finals.
They’ll face Martin County National, which beat Rockledge 6-5 in the other semifinal, tonight at 7 EST (Freeport is in the Central Time Zone).
A day after coming back from a seven-run deficit, Oviedo came back from being down 6-3 to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Greater Naples was nearly ousted in the sixth, but Naples relief pitcher John D’Amelio took a cut-off throw from center fielder Matt Vetter and threw out Oviedo’s Austin Thompson at the plate to keep the game tied.
Then Greater Naples showed its power in the extra inning, scoring six runs for the win.
“This team never says never,” Greater Naples coach Chad Ott said. “I give my kids a heck of a lot of credit. They didn’t let it bother them.”
Greater Naples, playing as the visitors for the first time this tournament, scored four runs in the first inning on RBI singles by Vetter, Bryce Williams and Will Collins. After Oviedo scored one in the bottom of the first, Greater Naples added two more in the second and was cruising 6-1 behind starting pitcher Preston Ott.
Ott went five innings and allowed four runs on just three hits, neutralizing one of the tournament’s most potent offenses.
“Preston threw a great game,” Ott said of his son.
Ott, who threw 81 pitches, allowed two runs in the fourth before he was replaced by D’Amelio.
D’Amelio struggled in the sixth, allowing Oviedo to tie the game on three hits, but helped on the key play that prevented a loss.
“When momentum changes, you’re always concerned that you can’t stop it and recover,” Ott said.
In the seventh, though, Greater Naples took charge. After three of the first four batters walked, Ott drove in B.J. Minarcin with the bases loaded to give Greater Naples a 7-6 lead. Collins and D’Amelio then drove in runs and Billy Zeliff had a two-run double to help add to Greater Naples’ total.
Coach Ott said he’s confident in his team’s chances tonight against Martin County National, the only team to defeat Greater Naples this week.
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