2016 Stories of the Year

4. Cranston 13s upend Warwick for state title

Posted 1/11/17

From no-hit to no-quit, the Cranston 13-year-old Babe Ruth all-stars dominated Cranston's midsummer headlines. Warwick PAL looked like the favorite to win the state title, especially after holding Cranston hitless during its 3-1 victory earlier in the

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2016 Stories of the Year

4. Cranston 13s upend Warwick for state title

Posted

From no-hit to no-quit, the Cranston 13-year-old Babe Ruth all-stars dominated Cranston’s midsummer headlines.

Warwick PAL looked like the favorite to win the state title, especially after holding Cranston hitless during its 3-1 victory earlier in the bracket.

Now, Cranston needed two wins to claim the state title after coming out of the losers’ bracket. It held on for a 10-6 triumph in Game 1, but it wouldn’t be much of a back-and-forth affair in Game 2.

MVP Matt Davila tossed a complete-game shutout for Cranston, walking no one and allowing only two hits, and the offense had his back. Cranston exploded for five runs in the sixth inning en route to an 8-0 result.

“Just throw strikes and don’t get any walks, because that’s what cost us the first game [against PAL],” Davila said of his approach. “So, you know, I just pounded it in there and let my defense do the work.”

“You can’t top that,” Cranston manager Bob DeCosta said. “No walks, you can’t top that.”

The bottom of Cranston’s order paced the production. The No. 7 through No. 10 hitters scored five times and knocked in three more runs. Al Barricelli, the last hitter in Cranston’s order, smacked a 2-RBI single up the middle in the sixth to cushion the lead at 5-0.

Dave Bussius and Nick Mason each helped change the number on the scoreboard again before the inning was over, but Davila already had the game on lock.

Cranston wasn’t fazed by a no-hitter at the start of the tournament, and it faced Warwick as a better team the next time around.

- J.M.

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