Lincoln Rays outlast Nevada City to win District 11 Tournament of Champions

The tensions were high at Chantry Hill Park in Newcastle as 10-year-old Dawson Swenson approached the mound for the sixth inning of Monday's District Game 11 Minors TOC championship game. Swenson's Lincoln Rays were clinging to a 3-2 lead over the Nevada City Blue Jays and he will be the first to admit he was nervous. The lawn chairs that surrounded the ballpark might as well have been 56,000 fans at Dodger Stadium for game seven of the World Series. While the southpaw had nerves, they didn't show as he struck out the side in order in the final inning to secure the Tournament of Champions title. He said he never felt like his team had it in the bag until the final out, but as he forced the swing and miss for strike three the nerves on his face quickly faded into a look of relief, disbelief, and jubilation. "I kind of just took some breaths," said Swenson, who retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced after surrendering two runs in the first three innings. "I always need a couple innings or so to get in my groove." Swenson was pounding the strike zone, mixing a fastball, changeup, and slider and throwing 55 strikes on 76 pitches. He tallied 11 strikeouts while walking one. Lincoln coach Kyle McLeod said that his ace's command was the difference in the game, noting that he was locked in all evening. "He's just the most silent assassin of a player you've ever met," McLeod said of Swenson. "He's always had a good fastball, but to locate like he did. I mean he was painting the corners on kids that can't reach the pitch. He's developing as a baseball player to where he doesn't just throw it by you, he can work the count as well." McLeod said that he knew that he had a special group of players after the Rays only loss of the season back in early May. He knew that his team was disappointed, and they were determined to never feel the pain of losing again. "The kids were upset and they really hated it, but they realized what they hadn't done right. We were coasting through some wins, and they realized we've got to do a little more," said McLeod. "I think that was highlighted today. I would give out nine game balls today, because of the way they played defense." McLeod also tipped his cap to a gutsy performance from catcher Eli Van Vliet, who caught all six innings after breaking his nose the day before. Van Vliet picked up two hits for the Rays. Offensively, it was the smallest player on the field that made the biggest difference. Hank McConiga picked up two hits, but it was his heads up baserunning that allowed him to score the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth. McConiga got caught in a rundown but managed to force a bad throw to third base, allowing him to reach home to put the Rays in front. McConiga was a catalyst to a two-run inning in the third, laying down a perfect bunt and reaching first base safely. McLeod said that McConiga had been asking to bunt all season long, but Monday was the first time he got the green light in a game. "He's the smallest guy in the field, but his ability to understand how to drive the ball the other way when he needs to is amazing," McLeod said of McConiga. "He walked up and looked at me, and I gave him the bunt sign, and he smiled, and boom, it was perfect. He moves the runners over, he's safe, and we score two runs off of that inning." McLeod added that the Rays were fueled by last year's loss in the Tournament of Champions and were determined to bring a banner back to Lincoln this season. Said McLeod, " Those little moments, they worked and worked and worked and worked on them. We lost here last year, and for the kids coming back, we told them we're going to win it this year. They went and did it."