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 NITRO Baseball Club
Arizona's #1 Ranked Team
2008/2009 - 13U
by Az Baseball Network
Click here to open NITRO theme song (Opens in separate window)
2009 USSSA Elite World Series - 5th Place
The NITRO represented the State of Arizona extremely well placing 5th in the Elite World Series in Orlando, FL against 32 of the best teams in the nation. The NITRO compiled a 5-2-1 record in double elimination play - losing only to the eventual Champions - East Cobb Astros twice. A very tough bracket meant only the NITRO or East Cobb could advance to the semi-finals. The NITRO gave the undefeated Astros their only challenge of the week falling 3-1 in the quarterfinals. A great week and experience for the NITRO.
Front Row L-R: Ronnie Adair, Gerard Hernandez, Andy Briniarski, Kobie Foppe, Alex Robles, AJ Zubia, Alex Larson.
Second Row L-R: Jorge Carrazo, Alex Verdugo, Eddie Marin, Brian Gonzales, John Seely.
Top Row L-R: Coaches Jerry Foppe, Junior Hernandez, Damian Larson and Anthony Zubia.
 
USSSA Winter Nationals Super NIT - 13U Major Champions
Front Row: Alex Larson, Tyler Frost, Batboy, Kobie Foppe, Brian Gonzales Back Row: John Seely, Coach Zubia, Coach Foppe, Alex Verdugo, Andrew Bryniarski, Nano Burroughs,Coach Larson, AJ Zubia, Eddie Marin, Gerard Hernandez, Coach Hernandez
The NITRO go 7-1 to win the 2008 USSSA Winter Nationals - becoming the second 13U team to qualify for the 2009 Elite World Series to be held at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida next August. Outstanding competition and team play defined this years Winter Nationals. After finishing pool play seeded #4 with a 3-1 record, the NITRO went on to defeat the Tucson Titans and Nogales Roadrunners setting up a much anticipated semi-final game with the powerful Rawlings Elite (CA) seeded #1. The NITRO never trailed taking a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning of the semis only to see the Elite tie the score at 2-2 in the 3rd inning. Both teams scored 3 runs in the 5th inning creating a 5-5 tie with only 2 innings to play. Lead by Gerard Hernandez's 3-run homer the NITRO took the lead for good and held on for an 8-6 win over the previously undefeated Elite. The win set up an all Arizona finals and provide the NITRO a rematch with the very talented Chandler Reds. As in the semi-final game, the NITRO never trailed after taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. Both teams traded homeruns late and the NITRO won 2-1. Strong pitching and defense made these games outstanding to play and watch. The NITRO and Reds also proved that Arizona is home to some of the best youth baseball teams not only in the west but in the nation. Both the Reds and NITRO rank in the top 3 NATIONALLY by USSSA. (Please see News articles listed below and links to TravelBallSelect.com and ValleySportsLedger.com for more detailed game reports and photos.)
The NITRO are currently seeking corporate and individual sponsors for the remaining 2009 tournament season including the Elite World Series to be held at Disney World's Wide World of Sports in August. Only 32 teams in the US will qualify for this tournament. Please see our Sponsorship Form link for more information.
2008/2009 Season Results
USSSA Elite World Series - 5th Place
USTBA Armed Forces Day Tournament - CHAMPIONS
USSSA Mothers Day Tournament (14U) - CHAMPIONS
USSSA Spring Classic I (14U Majors) - 3rd Place
TRIPLE CROWN Spring Fling - CHAMPIONS
USTBA Spring Training Championships I - CHAMPIONS
USSSA President's Day Classic (14U) - CHAMPIONS
Triple Crown Rod Rubino Memorial Classic - CHAMPIONS
USSSA Winter Classic - 2nd Place
USSSA Winter National Championship - CHAMPIONS
SABA Holiday Tournament (14U) - 3rd Place
USSSA Toys For Tots - DNP
USSSA Thanksgiving Shootout (14U) - 2nd Place
USSSA Veterans Salute - 2nd Place
USSSA Halloween Scream - 3rd Place
USSSA Fall Classic II - CHAMPIONS
USSSA Labor Day Classic NIT - CHAMPIONS
USTBA Summer World Series (San Diego, CA) - 2nd Place
Tournamnet Highlights:
USTBA Armed Forces Day Tournament - Champions
Different tournament - Same results! NITRO claim 7th championship in 9 events this year. The NITRO beat a very talented pool of teams during the USTBA Armed Forces Day Tournament and claimed their prize wood bats. The team compiled a 4-0 record outscoring opponents 36-6. As a team, the NITRO continued to hit extremely well while pitching and defense held opponents to an average of 1.5 runs per game.
USSSA Mother's Day Tournament - 14U Champions
The Nitro saved their best play for Sunday to win again at the 14U level. The day was dominated by pitching as the team posted 8-0 and 6-1 victories in the semi-finals and finals.
FOUR-PEAT!!! Nitro win 4th tournament in a row.
3 1/2 weeks off did little to whet the NITRO's appetite for championships. The Nitro relied on their "team first" attitude to roll to their fourth consecutive tournament victory. Outscoring opponents 40-6 and compiling a 4-1 record, the NITRO balanced hitting with defense and pitching to claim the Triple Crown Spring Fling title. After ending pool play Saturday with a 1-1 record, the NITRO showed intensity and determination to post three victories Sunday with comfortable wins over opponents, 8-0, 8-1 and 7-2.
NITRO undefeated in USTBA Spring Training Championships I (Major Division)
Even the "injury bug" couldn't derail the NITRO as they claimed their third straight tournament championship. Various levels of injuries may have limited several players availability and field positioning but the team's results remained the same - Victory. During the Spring Training Championships I, the Nitro relied on the talents of each available player and the team's collective chemistry to claim the American (Major division) championship. The day started with a semi-final match-up against the powerhouse Chandler Reds, pitting Arizona's (and USSSA's National) #1 against #2. The Reds were looking to avenge their 2-1 loss to the Nitro in this year's USSSA Winter National finals. In a game filled with Championship atmosphere and energy, the Reds took advantage early of Nitro errors to stake themselves to a first inning 2-0 lead. However, the Nitro settled in - behind solid hitting and stellar pitching - and clawed back for a 5-3 victory. In the Championship game, the Nitro again relied on a balanced offensive and defensive effort to defeat the Az Angels 9-5. The Nitro are now 21-2-2 in their past 5 tournaments - playing for the championship in all 5 tournaments and winning 4 of them.
NITRO continue to roll going 6-0 to win 14U USSSA President's Day Classic
The NITRO continued their championship roll with the a 9-2 victory over the Outsiders playing up at the 14U level. It continues to be outstanding team play as the boys went 6-0 outscoring their opponents 60-20 with 3 of their 6 games decided by the run rule. After finishing pool play with the #1 seed, the Nitro faced incredible pitching from the Sting Baseball Club - Washington in the quarter-finals in what turned into a pitching dual. A couple of long HRs helped the Nitro secure a 5-4 victory. In the semi-finals, the NITRO players hit line drive after line drive pounding out a 13-3 victory. The Championship game pitted the #1 and #2 seeds, both undefeated, in a thrilling game that was tied 2-2 through the 4th inning. NITRO hitting quickly took over again and changed the tone in the 5th and 6th as the team comfortably pulled away to secure a long weekend sweep. Great competition from visiting Washington state and local teams was just not enough to derail the NITRO momentum as the NITRO have now won 3 of the past 4 tournaments - amassing a 17-2 record over the past 4 tournaments. The team has now played for the championship in 12 of their 15 tournaments.
USSSA Thanksgiving Shootout NIT - 2nd Place 14U Division
The NITRO take 2nd Place playing up in the 14U Thanksgiving Shootout NIT. Great effort as the team rallies from the brink of pool play elimination to come back to finish second in the Thanksgiving Shootout at Victory Lane. Hard fought team effort helped the NITRO adjust to the larger 60/90' fields.
USSSA Veteran's Day Salute - 13U Major Division 2nd Place
The NITRO went 5-1 in the USSSA Veterans Day Salute 13U Majors during the weekend of Nov 8-9. The NITRO reeled off three strong victories Sunday outscoring their opponents 32-2 to set up a much anticipated match-up with the Chandler Reds. Unfortunately 4 games in one day proved too much for the NITRO's 10 players. Outstanding team play set the tone for the entire weekend as the boys played six games within 26 hours seemingly getting stronger as they went - winning by run rule the quarterfinals and semifinals, 16-0 and 12-1, respectively.
USSSA Fall Classic II - 13U Major Division Champions
The NITRO went 4-0 winning the USSSA Fall Classic II (Majors Division) during the weekend of Oct 4-5. After a very hard fought pitching duel with the Gauchos, the NITRO came out on top with a 4-3 victory. Each team provided outstanding pitching in the championship game. The NITRO gave up a 2-0 lead allowing the Gauchos 3 unearned runs on no hits (3 NITRO errors) in the 5th inning. However, the NITRO finished strong offensively tying the game 3-3 in the bottom of the 5th and reclaiming the lead for good in the bottom of the 6th inning. Overall, NITRO pitching allowed only 5 runs in the 4 games during this tournament and the team outscored its opponents 22-5.
USSSA Labor Day Classic - 13U Major Division Champions
The NITRO are the 13U Major Division Champions for the USSSA Labor Day Classic held at Gilbert Big League Field of Dreams in Arizona. The NITRO compiled a 5-0 record outscoring their opponents 48-9. A complete team effort with solid hitting and outstanding defense.
Visit our sponsors websites under links in Sponsors on the Menu.
Current Sponsors:
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Arizona Pipes Trades Local 469
The Manning Group - Phoenix, AZ
New Photo Gallery - Triple Crown Spring Fling - Apr 5, 2009 New Photo Gallery - USTBA Spring Training Championships I - Mar 9, 2009 New Photo Gallery - USSSA Presidents Day Classic 14U - Feb 16, 2009 News Article - NITRO Winter National Champs. Earn Elite World Series Spot - Jan 4, 2009 13U - AZ Winter Super NIT- FINAL
from www.travelballselect.com
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The 13U Championship Game for the AZ Super NIT matched the top two
teams in Arizona. They are the Chandler Reds and the Arizona Nitro. For
more than a year the Reds have been a storybook team with an amazing
record of only one loss at the Major level of play. They were ranked #1
in Arizona for good reason. The Nitro team is an incredibly scrappy
team that has built up a great record in 13U Majors. Both of these
teams honor each other with earned and deserved respect. The Reds coach
Omar Dahl said before the game that the Nitro were an excellent team.
Adding to the tension of the game is that the last time these two faced
each other, the Reds mercy-ruled the Nitro. So let the drama begin!
A strike on the outside corner was called as the Reds pitcher, Luis
Quinonez, started the game. Foppe singled for the Nitro, but was called
out as Hernandez hit into a fielders choice. Verdugo singled and
brought in Hernandez for the first run. The next batter hit into a
6-4-3 double play to end the Nitro’s first offensive series.
The Reds leadoff man hit a screamer to third. Burrough fielded it, and
made it look like an easy grounder as he threw the runner out. The next
batter hit into a 4-3 for the second out. With two outs Murphy singled
then advanced to second. Soto singled and the runner on second rounded
too far past third and was thrown out trying to get back to the bag.
Three away! At the end of one, the score was Nitro 1-Reds 0.
Quinonez continued to pitch for the Reds. In the second inning he got
the Nitro to fly out, groundout, and strikeout. The Reds got two
singles in the bottom of the second, but one was caught stealing,
another ground into a 4-3, and with two outs the Reds bunted into the
third out. At the end of two, the score was Nitro 1-Reds 0.
The only offense for the Nitro in the third was a double by Hernandez.
The Reds did even less as they went three up three down. At the end of
three, it was Nitro 1-Reds 0.
The Nitro followed suit in the top of the fourth with a fly out to
right, a pop up to the catcher, and a strikeout. The Reds came to bat
and looked like they might get a break. A pitch hit Murphy, and Soto
singled to right. But as quickly as it started it ended. The
left-handed Nitro catcher, Hernandez, picked off the runner at first
and the next two batters popped up and grounded out. At the end of
four, the score was Nitro 1- Reds 0.
Quinonez continued to pitch a stellar game for the Reds and racked up
two more strikeouts plus a fly ball to center to end the top of the
fifth. Frost was more than matching the Reds pitcher. He had already
pitched a shutout thru four and continued the shutout thru the fifth as
he sat down three in a row to end the inning. The low-scoring contest
moved quickly into the sixth inning.
With the score still one to nothing in the top of the sixth the Nitro
came to bat hoping to pad their slim lead. Gerard Hernandez came to the
plate. He had already jacked three homeruns in the tournament and two
of them had come in the semifinals game an hour earlier. Quinonez sent
a fastball down the pipe and Hernandez launched a solo home run that
traveled at least 350 feet over the wall! The Nitro team and coaches
went berserk as they greeted Hernandez at the plate for the third time
in the same day! The Reds got two more outs and knew they had some
work to do at the plate.
In the bottom of the sixth, Nano Burrough came in to pitch and keep the
Reds in check. He did just that but not until the Reds’ Westbrook
managed a single. The new pitcher found the right combination of
pitches and the next three batters flew out to short, center, and right
field to end the sixth inning.
The Nitro came to bat again and Eddie Marin sent a scorcher that
skimmed the top of the pitcher’s glove. The ball was hit so sharply,
Quinonez had to look in his glove to see if it got through instead of
over his glove. However, the single was of no consequence, and the
Reds would get one more chance.
It was easy to feel the confidence of the Reds as they came to bat in
the bottom of the seventh. They were used to winning and surely had no
doubts they could do it. Every inning one could tell the Reds were
closing in and getting ready to score on the Nitro. Then it finally
happened. With two out Ivan Sanchez came to the plate. Sanchez sent a
rainbow home run over the right center wall. The home run was a solo
shot and it looked like the mighty Reds finally had the momentum for a
two out rally. Burrough and the Nitro had plans of their own and the
defense prevailed as the final batter for the Reds sent a pop fly to
left field that ended the Reds chance but started the dog pile
pandemonium for the Disney bound Nitro. The final score was Arizona
Nitro 2-Chandler Reds 1.
Coach Dahl showed a lot of class after the game as he said, “On this
day the Nitro team played a better game.” Coach Foppe and the Nitros
kept screaming, “We’re goin’ to Disney World! We’re goin’ to Disney
World!” Maybe they are, but even better they get to go to the Elite
World Series in Orlando next July. more [+] New Photo Gallery - 2008 Winter Nationals - Dec 30, 2008 News Article - NITRO Win Winter National Champion Qualify for Elite World Series at Disney World - Dec 30, 2008 | 13U - AZ Winter Super NIT Champions - Arizona NITRO |
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Gilbert, Arizona
– Tuesday, December 30: USSSA Winter Nationals Super NIT –
Championships. The Arizona Nitro are the 2008 13U Winter National
Champions. With this win, the Nitro have won an early berth in the
2009 Elite Championships to be held in Disney’s Wide World of Sports in
Kissimmee, Florida during early August 2009.
In the early game, the Chandler Reds edged past the San Diego Stars by
a score of 4-3. With this win, the Reds moved on to face the Arizona
NITRO after their 8-6 win over Rawlings Elite (CA).
The Championship game went down to the wire, but in end, the favored Reds fell to the NITRO by a score of 2-1.
more [+] News Article - Winter Nationals Day 3 Summary - Dec 29, 2008 | 13U - AZ Winter Super NIT Day 3: Explosive Drama, AZ Nitro vs Roadrunners |
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By TBS Staff Writer www.travelballselect.com
Headed into the last of the 7th inning the Nogales Roadrunners from Arizona
were leading the 13U Arizona Nitro by a score of 4-3. Three outs were
left when Gerard Hernandez in the bottom of the seventh hit a 300-foot
solo shot over the wall in the Angels stadium at Big League Dreams in Gilbert, Arizona. The fans went crazy! With the score tied team Nitro needed one more run to move on to the semi-finals.
The next batter flew out to left field. One down. The next batter Alex
Verdugo got to first with a walk. He advanced to second on a fielder’s
choice. Two down! The Roadrunners intentionally walked the next batter
then changed pitchers as Alex Larson came to the plate for the Nitro.
The Roadrunners felt confident with #29 Cesar Salazar on the mound. A
tie would mean extra innings. Salazar brought the heat on the first
pitch. Straight down the middle, unhittable and strike one! Larson
fouled off the next pitch. Strike two! Two outs, plus one more strike,
then overtime would begin. The next pitch was a strike in the zone and
Larson launched a single into straight centerfield. Alex Verdugo
rounded third and scored! Game over five to four! Nitro (AZ) advances
to the semifinals to face the top ranked Rawlings Elite (Ca.).
The San Diego Stars by Pony (Ca.), and the Chandler Reds (Az.), will also face-off in the semis on Tuesday.
Statistics for the Nitro
Nano Burrough pitched the first five innings for the Nitro. Tyler Frost
pitched the final two. Gerard Hernandez hit a game-tying home run in
the bottom of the seventh.
Kobie Foppe was four for four with a double and two RBI’s.
Alex Verdugo was two for three with a double, a walk, and the game’s
winning run. Head coach “Jerry” told the boys he loved them and would
never forget them or the great game they just won together because they
played together like a real team should. Final Score: Arizona Nitro-5, Nogales Roadrunners-4
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more [+] New Photo Gallery - USSSA Thanksgiving ShootOut - Nov 29, 2008
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