The Lutz Red 9- and 10-year-old Little League baseball team reached the state tournament by hoisting the Section 4 championship July 15.
The boys from Lutz went 1-2 to finish sixth out of nearly 300 clubs in Florida. They end the all-star season with a 7-3 record.
The state tournament was in Fort Lauderdale July 20 to 23. Lutz lost its first two contests at the event, falling 12-2 to fellow Hillsborough County program Citrus Park and 11-3 to Martin County North. They fought back to win 9-6 against South Fort Myers in 10 innings.
The 2012 Red squad is the first 9/10-year-old baseball team and just the third of any age group from Lutz to make the state tournament since 1990.
Lutz had the chance to play spoiler in its final game, which was delayed by one day because of rain. The North Hillsborough program tied the contest 6-6 in the top of the sixth to force extra innings.
The squads battled through four scoreless frames until Lutz moved ahead on a passed ball before adding two insurance runs. Tyler Keeting was the starting pitcher before being relieved by Reece Kaplan and Addison Dubin with Jack Richardson closing the game.
Lutz’s defense helped carry the day in the extra innings. Center fielder Spencer Famiano fired a throw to the plate to a perfectly positioned Alex Perez, the squad’s catcher, who tagged out the would-be winning run.
The victory ended South Fort Myers’ chance at a perfect tournament record.
—Kyle LoJacono
Lutz Red roster
Michael Blackwood Jr.
Adison Dubin
Spencer Famiano
Adam Fischel
Jay Garvey
Reece Kaplan
Tyler Keeting
Anthony Kirchner
Alex Perez
Jack Richardson
Brent Serrano
Gavin Sissel
Carson Yonker
Scott Kirchner, coach
Ryan Dubin, assistant
Marc Yonker, assistant
