Teams

In the freezing cold, our Bulldogs 11s & 12s win the 2008 March NYTB Baseball Tournaments (and our 10s win the consolation game finishing in 3rd place)

BULLDOG 12s: Under the great coaching of Manager Daryle Dingcong and Coach Chris Smith, the Bulldog 12s go 4-0 beating the Bonnies 2-1 in the finals on Sunday March 30 to take the early Spring NY Travel Baseball classic.

Back Row: Coach Smith, Jack Cleary, Kai Ward, Michael De la Rosa, Giovanni Dingcong, Jacob Goldberg, Daniel Segan, Julian Rolof, Manager Dingcong

Front Row: Tyler Paull, Henry Gordon, Kelvin Sparks, Vincent Amato, Adam Ginsberg, Jack Marooney.

Four comeback victories, capped by a dramatic homer to beat the Bonnies, earned Daryle Dingcong’s 12U Bulldogs the New York Travel Baseball pre-season 12u tournament championship.

On Saturday morning, at brutally cold and windy Fort Tilden, the Rockaway Seadawgs jumped to a 4-1 lead in the first two innings. Down three runs with one out in the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs rallied to tie on a two-RBI pinch-single by Daniel Segan. He raced home for the winner on a clutch sacrifice squeeze laid down by Michael De la Rosa. Jack Marooney picked up the pitching victory with three innings of stabilizing relief, and Giovanni Dingcong notched the save.

Apparently that win wasn’t daring enough: In game two, the ‘Dawgs spotted the KAD Bombers three first-inning runs, then faced a 7-3 deficit after three innings. This time Jack Cleary emerged from the bullpen to stop the bleeding. Segan helped get the Bulldogs closer with a two-RBI double. The momentum shifted completely in the top of the sixth, when Dingcong recorded three outs on nine pitches—eight of them strikes—and fanned two of the Bombers’ power hitters. In the bottom half of the inning, with two out, Dingcong (a team-leading 5-for-11 over the weekend) singled, stole second and third, then slid in with the game-winner on a wild pitch.

The rollercoaster ride continued Sunday morning at balmy Joe Torre Field versus the homestanding Jaguars, who jumped to a 2-0 first-inning advantage. But starter Tyler Paull found a wicked curveball and allowed nothing more. With the game tied 3-3 in the fourth inning, Cleary’s two-out single to left brought Paull to the plate, where he went the opposite way to drive in the go-ahead run. Marooney picked up his second mound win with two strong relief frames. Dingcong—or "Joba Junior" pitched a suffocating final inning.

That sent the Bulldogs back to Fort Tilden for the championship game against the Bonnies, who had obliterated their previous opponents by scoring seven, ten, and 13 runs. Pitchers Segan and Julian Rolof combined for ten strikeouts, one unearned run, and one hit, and didn’t allow the Bonnies to hit a ball out of the infield during seven innings. Highlights included Rolof pitching out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam, and a crucial pickoff toss to Cleary, who’d snuck in behind the runner at first. Still, the ‘Dawgs found themselves down 1-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth. They retaliated immediately after the Bonnies had taken a lead: Segan hustled down the line to force an infield error, then trotted home when Jacob Goldberg scorched a line-drive to dead-center and over the fence at the 200 foot marker for a 2-1 lead. Rolof sealed it with a seven-pitch, seven-strike seventh inning.

The finals was an exciting game in which Daniel Segan and Julian Rolof combined to throw a one hitter and Jake Goldberg hit a game-winning 2 run homer over the center field wall.

Playing awesome baseball, the Bulldog 11s, coached by Daryle Dingcong, took two of three from the 11 yo Bonnies to win the sectional tournament to advance to the AABC World Series. Led by the solid pitching of Vincent Amato, Adam Ginsberg and Giovanni Dingcong, the Dawgs advance to the AABC World Series that starts August 9 here in Brooklyn.

Play was capped by the towering homer over the left field fence by catcher, Raffie Quezada, and his throw to second to put out a baserunner in the top of the 7th inning.

Clutch hitting in the 6th inning and flawless outfield play by Caleb Kerbs, Kelvin Sparks, and Brandon Leftwich sent the team to the AABC World Series.

Bulldog 10s Win the Cal Ripken's Districts and Will Represent all of Brooklyn in the States. (7/1) Led by Jack Cleary's 5 hits (picture of Jack below) and the lights out pitching of Giovanni Dingcong, Daniel Segan, and Michael Moore, the Bulldog 10's beat the Bushwick Wolves 19-4 to win the Brooklyn district. Below is the plaque presented by Cal Ripken to the Bulldogs:

In the States, the team won 3 of 5 games, being eliminating in the quarter final round.

Front Row: Vincent Amato, Avery Hogue, Kelvin Sparks, Giovanni Dingcong, Tyler Paull, Gabe Zimmerman, Dillon Sparks (Batboy);
Middle Row: Adam Ginsberg, Jesse Burnham, Jack Cleary, Eric Dreises, Julian Rolof, Daniel Segan;
Back Row Coaches Jeff Ginsberg, Bryan Albert, Eddie Albert, Mike Toro & Daryl Dingcong.

Facing some of the toughest NJ Little League All Star teams, the 10 year old Bulldogs won 3 straight to reach the finals against the favored Somerset Hills All Stars. In 90 degree heat the Bulldogs played a most exciting, nail-biter of a game. Up 3-1 after the first inning, Somerset came back to take a 7-3 lead. But the dogs never gave up, every inning chipping away at the lead. Finally, at the top of the last inning (6th), the dogs tied the game 7-7 and held Somerset to take the game into extra innings. On a roll, the dogs scored 2 in the top of the 7th and held Somerset to none (with 2 on) to take the championship. When catcher Giovanni caught the last batter's pop up, pandamonium broke lose and the team mobbed closer Adam.

Every player made important contributions. It was a total team effort, especially by coaches Daryl, Mike, Bryan, and Jeff and the bench moms who helped keep the boys cool in 90 degree heat for two days. And coach Bryan had to keep his promise and carry Giovanni around the bases if the team won, which he did.

See Articles in the NY Daily News and the Brooklyn Eagle about the teams (Click on the thumbnails):

On Sunday, May 14, The Bulldog 10s hosted an East Harlem Little League team at Van Voorhees field. It was an exciting game that went down to the last half inning. Tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the 6th inning, Daniel Segan scored the winning run on a sacrifice grounder to the first baseman by Eric Dreises. It was a total team victory with extraordinary pitching performances by Eric Drieses, Giovanni Dingcong, and Adam Ginsberg, and excellent fielding plays by Tyler Paull. Through this game, the 10s haven't lost a game all season and are looking forward to their first tournament on Memorial Day weekend in HIllsborough, NJ. Go dawgs!