The Dixon Little League Pirates AAA-Minors continued their domination of the Tournament of Champions by beating the Winters Padres, 10-0, and winning the tournament in Esparto Saturday.
The Pirates faced Winters in the first game of the TOC. In that game, pitcher Anthony Galindo pitched a no-hitter, a rarity for any pitcher, even more so for any Little League player, to win the game 11-0.
On Saturday, Galindo took the mound once again to face a team that he had much success over.
“A lot of it had come down to Galindo,” Pirates Coach Mike Del Magnaio said. “Galindo threw his second no hitter in a row. That isn’t very common. I don’t remember any of my pitchers throwing a no-hitter against anybody in Dixon.”
But Galindo, who only threw a few walks, struck out nearly everyone he faced Saturday, giving Winters a formidible challenge and the Pirates’ fielders a break. The ball never went into play for the Padres.
“He’s in a good groove and he’s doing well and I’m real proud of him,” Del Magnaio said.
While Galindo’s pitching was a major factor in Saturday’s victory, the bats of Jonah Dage, Elias Benton and Chase Del Magnaio cemented the victory. Each of the aforementioned batters had two hits.
Del Magnaio gave the team a first-inning rally, scoring two runs. Since by the fourth inning the Pirates were up by 10, the Mercy Rule was invoked and the game ended.
“It’s something to be proud of, it’s something that not a lot of us can say that they’ve done,” Coach Del Magnaio said. “It’s something that these kids look back on and be very proud of.”
The game had no MVP, Del Magnaio said, as the coach stressed to his team all year that each win, each loss was a complete team effort. Everyone received a plaque and a TOC pin, he said.
The Pirates ended their season overall with a record of 19-4-1.
Dixon Patch congratulates the players, as well as the Majors Yankees who won in Winters on Friday to earn a TOC Championship, on a job well done.
