The St. Thomas 13-15 All-Star Little League baseball team returned victorious from the Dominican Republic on Monday having made a clean sweep of its three games against the Bonao team there.
In game 1 on Friday, the St. Thomas team won 19-2, as pitcher Hollister Pierre threw a one-hitter. Team organizer Randolph DeWindt said Pierre had "good command of his pitches and took complete control of the game," helped with the outstanding defense of third baseman Deshaun Brooks and shortstop Moriba George.
For St. Thomas, left-fielder Richard Julius hit two home runs in going 3 for 3 at the plate, first baseman Shareem Samuel hit a grand slam in the top of the fifth inning, and Brooks followed with a solo home run. The Virgin Islanders pounded 11 hits in all off Bonao pitcher Joel Rodriquez. At the end of five innings, the game was called due to the 10-run lead mercy rule.
The Bonao team hit better in game 2. However, St. Thomas infielders Brooks and George continued their stellar glove work. "Brooks was like a vacuum," St. Thomas coach Ken Harlow said. "He reminded me of Brooks Robinson."
Game 2 starting pitcher Kyle LaMotta had some control problems but held the Bonao team down. Julius continued his hitting expedition, going 2 for 2, including smacking his third home run of the tournament in the fifth inning to cement an 8-2 victory.
In game 3, the Bonao team would have no part of Julius's bat, walking him constantly, sometimes intentionally. Julius was on the mound for St. Thomas allowing Bonao an early 2-0 lead. But the St. Thomas bats would not be silenced for long. Samuel cracked a three-run homer to put the Virgin Islanders out front for good. Second baseman Jake Neely and George contributed with their bats each going 2 for 3 as St. Thomas won 6-2.
