The West Hartford team won the 21^st Annual Hungerford Tournament played at Wolcott Park.

Hungerford Tournament Champions, WHYBL Bulldogs. On fence (L-R): Patrick McGann, Matthew DeLutrie, Jude Sargent, Robert Schunder, Matthew Glassman. Middle: Coach Joe DeLutrie. Front (L-R): Brandon Wolmer, Ixael Albino, Will Fox, Jonathan Morrey, Brian Namnoum, Ethan Speranza, Jaedan Carrero, Coach Anibal Carrero. In front of front row: Bat Boy Colin McGann. Not Pictured: Coaches Steve Schunder, Lee Glassman and Adam Wolmer

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The West Hartford Youth Baseball invitational summer tournament for 12 year olds has been organized for the past 21 years in honor of Ken Hungerford, a long-standing WHYBL coach and volunteer.

This year’s tournament was held in late July at Wolcott Park under the lights. It was a wood bat tournament for the second year in a row and featured four All-Star 12U teams: West Hartford Youth Baseball Bulldogs (WHYBL), West Hartford Little League (WHLL), Hartford – Mayor Mike’s Little League and Coventry Little League.

The WHYBL Bulldogs were 2-1 in round robin play and earned the second seed in the playoffs. The Bulldogs opened their tournament play with an 8-1 victory over Coventry. Will Fox and Jaeden Carrero pitched 5 perfect innings between them and struck out nine for the Bulldogs, and the defense made several outstanding plays. Carrero also belted a 2 run HR. Fox (2 H, 2B) and Patrick McGann each had 2 RBI’s.

Hartford defeated the Bulldogs in the next game. Former Bulldog Ray Tirado led the way for Hartford with two HR’s, including a Grand Slam.

The WHYBL Bulldogs faced WHLL in their final round robin game under the lights. WHLL jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first. The Bulldogs stormed back with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Brian Namnoum got the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI bases loaded single. Later in the inning, Matthew DeLutrie came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, and delivered a two run single. Starting pitcher Brandon Wolmer (4 IP, 2 ER, 4 K’s) pitched brilliantly. The Bulldogs added three more runs in the bottom of the second. Matthew Glassman and Fox (3 RBI) singled in the inning and Jude Sargent (2 RBI) had an RBI double. Luis Vargas hit a solo HR in the third inning for WHLL. WHLL added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to pull within 9-5. The Bulldogs scored a run in the fifth; Wolmer singled with one out; DeLutrie sacrifice bunted him to second base and Jonathan Morrey followed with an RBI single and the Bulldogs went on to a 10-5 victory.

WHLL defeated Coventry 5-4 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the semi-final game. Coventry led 4-1 after four innings. WHLL scored four runs in the fifth to grab a 5-4 lead and held Coventry scoreless in the final 2 innings to preserve the victory and advance to the Championship game.

The Bulldogs’ route to the Championship game came via a 6-5 win against Hartford in the semi-finals behind strong pitching from Carrero. Carrero pitched 4 innings, struck out four and allowed one run against a potent Hartford line-up. Hartford jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Bulldogs scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-1 lead. Ethan Speranza singled to lead off the third and came around to score on McGann’s single. The Bulldogs added another run, then two more runs in the fourth for a 6-1 lead. Hartford pulled to within 6-5 by scoring four runs in the fifth inning. Hartford had the tying run at second when Tirado doubled with one out. Wolmer retired the next two batters, with the final out coming on a spectacular back pedaling catch by shortstop Fox in short left center field. Everyone contributed on the offense: McGann, Sargent, DeLutrie and Wolmer (2B) each had two hits. Ixael Albino had a two run bases loaded hit and Carrero hit a HR.

This left the two West Hartford teams to square off against one another in the Championship game on Sunday, July 26, at 7 p.m. at Wolcott Park.

WHLL scored three runs in the top of the first inning. WHYBL Bulldogs leadoff hitter Matthew Glassman led off the bottom of the first with a single. He stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Patrick McGann quickly got the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI single. Will Fox and Brian Namnoum walked, loading the bases for Jude Sargent. Sargent singled to cut the deficit to 3-2. Brandon Wolmer followed with a base clearing double to deep center, giving the Dogs a 5-3 lead. Matthew DeLutrie was hit in the head with a pitch, stayed in the game and after playing the field in the second inning was removed for precautionary reasons. WHLL added a run in the fourth inning to cut the Bulldogs lead to 5-4. Robert Schunder and Ixael Albino led off the bottom of the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back walks. Glassman added a one out walk to load the bases. With two outs, Fox delivered a two run single, increasing the Bulldogs lead to 7-4.

The Bulldogs carried this lead to the sixth inning. WHLL scored 3 to in the sixth to tie the game at 7-7. Bulldogs ace pitcher Jaedan Carrero relieved Wolmer in the sixth and closed out the inning with the score tied. The Bulldogs didn’t score in their half of the inning and the game went into extra innings. Carrero pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Fox singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, then stole 2B for WHYBL. Namnoum singled to left with one out. Sargent followed with a walk to load the bases. Wolmer worked the count full and took ball four below the knees for a dramatic ending to an exciting game.

The Bulldogs celebrated, the crowd went wild and both teams shook hands and congratulated each other on a well played game to end the 21^st Hungerford Tournament. It was a complete team win tonight and throughout the tournament – a different Bulldog stepped up and contributed each game.

Congratulations to the 2015 Hungerford Tournament Champion West Hartford Youth Baseball Bulldogs: Ixael Albino, Jaedan Carrero, Matthew DeLutrie, Will Fox, Matthew Glassman, Patrick McGann, Brian Namnoum, Jonathan Morrey, Jude Sargent, Robert Schunder, Ethan Speranza, Brandon Wolmer, Bat Boy Colin McGann and Coaches Joe DeLutrie, Anibal Carrero, Steve Schunder, Adam Wolmer, and Lee Glassman.