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Local Team Wins AAU National Baseball Tourney

Photo provided by Vince Rupolo

The Tampa Boltz are the 9 and younger AAU national champions. The players and coaches are: front row, from left, Patrick Morris, Noah Siem, Freddie Tarnok, Alec Sanchez, Zack Gutcher, Jared DeSantolo, Clay Coringrato, Ethan Thomas, Carson Ragsdale, Jovani Diaz; back row, assistant coach Brad Thomas, Holden Bridge (raising plaque), assistant coach Orlando Nunez, assistant coach Danny Gutcher and head coach Rudy DeSantolo. Not pictured are Luis Duran and Jose Ciccarello.

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COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 24, 2008

FOREST HILLS - A youth baseball club based in Forest Hills rallied from behind in one game and shut out the favorites in another to become national champions earlier this month.

The Tampa Boltz competed against 28 teams in the AAU national baseball tournament for players 9 and younger, held at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex. The boys played 13 games in six days, pushing through four games July 19 to win the championship.

They had to beat the Greensboro, N.C., Titans twice. They fell five runs behind Greensboro early in the first game, which would have eliminated them from contention, but scored 10 runs to beat the Titans 11-6.

They faced the Titans again - 45 minutes later, playing in temperatures that exceeded 100 degrees on the field - and won 17-0, said head coach Rudy DeSantolo.

The Boltz won 12 games and hit 19 home runs during the tournament. The team's only loss was to the Brandon Bullets, which it had to face again to move on to the championship rounds.

The boys play at the Forest Hills Pony Baseball Complex, but team members hail from Town 'N Country, Westchase, New Tampa, Temple Terrace and Brandon, as well as one boy from Brooksville and one from Jacksonville.

DeSantolo has directed the team for the past two seasons. The general manager is Vince Rupolo.

As champions, six boys were named to the honorary, 20-member all-tournament team. They are Jose Ciccarello, Jovani Diaz, Alec Sanchez, Noah Siem, Freddie Tarnok and Ethan Thomas.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.

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