Neither team was able to plate another run until the bottom of the second when Zimowski starting pitcher John Rosato walked Nick Courto, hit Joe Ellis with a pitch and walked Michael Mercurio to load the bases with nobody out.

Rosato dug in deep and struck out the next two firemen like clock work! That was the good news for Zimowski Foods. The bad news was that Brad Moore, New Hartford's home run leader with 11 this season, was up next. 

A cool and collected Moore stepped in and worked the count to 2 balls and 1 strike and on the fourth pitch of the at bat, Rosato delivered a waist high fastball which Brad Moore deposited over the fence for the twelfth time this season for a grand slam home run!!  Fire Department took a 4-1 lead to the third.

(Fire Department slugger Brad Moore (5) watches his 2nd inning grand slam sail over the right field fence. The blast was Moore's 12th on the season.)

So what does Zimowski do now? The league's home run king just put a big dent in their three-peat championship hopes it would be ok to fold up the tent right?

Wrong! Mike Nole, a four year star slugger in the league delivered a key RBI double to score PJ Alvanos and McCormac to pull Zimowski to within 4-3 with nobody out. Matt Torchia then stepped in drilled a single to right center, scoring Nole and tying the game at 4-4.

Despite the offensive outburst the play of the inning belonged to Fire Department's 10 year old catcher who gunned down Torchia trying to steal second for the first out of the inning. Consecutive put outs by Brad Moore at shortstop ended the Zimowski threat with the score tied 4-4 after 2 and a half innings.

Tyler Moran's leadoff double, a walk by Nick Courto would be the last two batters faced by Rosato who's night ended with 85 pitches.

Michael Mercurio's infield hit off reliever Ryan McCormac scored Moran and Fire Department ended up with a 5-4 lead after three complete innings.

Noah German set down Zimowski 1-2-3 in the the visitor's half of the fourth to set his team up again.

The bottom of the fourth saw Fire Department explode for five runs when Ryan Faro reached on an error, German singled to put runners on the corners for Tyler Moran who quickly singled home Faro to make it 6-4.

Nick Courto's shot to left scored Moran and German to make it 8-4 with nobody out. Ryan Mammone's fielder's choice moved Courto to third for the number nine hitter, Jordan Madia, who proceeded to smack a two strike double to the left field fence, scoring Mammone and Courto to make it 10-4 in favor of NHFD, which is the way the fourth inning would end.

Zimoswki pulled within 10-5 in the top of the fifth when Mike Nole scored on an RBI single by Matt Torchia. Fire Department tacked on 2 insurance runs in the home half of the fifth on a single by Brad Moore, followed by an RBI double off the bat of fellow four year man Ryan Faro to make it 11-5.

Nick Courto's second RBI hit of the game brought Faro in to make it 12-5, which is the way we'd go to the last frame.

Faro was called on to shut things down on the mound in the 6th and shut things down he did, getting three consecutive outs to send the kids in red jumping for joy as they celebrated their long sought after championship.




























(Nick Courto, age 10, positions: first base, third base, outfield. Favorite food - Sushi, favorite subject in school Social Studies. )

After the game, Nick Courto, the Babe's Macaroni Grill and Bar Player of the Game, said it felt great to have his first little league crown. "This is awesome, to see Brad hit that grand slam and to have my first championship after being in the league for only my second year, it feels great," he said.

Courto, the son of Nick and Gina Courto, is a Yankees fan and always roots for Mark Texeria. As for favorite foods, its not hot dogs or apple pie for the big soon to be 5th grader at Bradley Elementary, its Sushi. "It really is, I love Sushi," Courto said with a laugh.

Courto also credited his coach, Angelo Faro, with teaching him baseball. "He's my favorite coach, he's taught us alot," Courto added.

On the other side of the field, a quiet Zimowski Foods team (9-7) watched as Fire Department celebrated its long awaited win.


















 
(The Terrific Three:  Cullen Moran (left) Brad Moore (center) and Ryan Faro (right) have played together on NH Fire Department for 4 years. Congratulations boys!)

"We've won the championship two years in a row and we came close this year, so its ok," a smiling (always) Mike Nole told MHTS after his final regular season little league game, adding "There are some really good young guys coming up so I think Zimowski will be really good again soon."

One of the youngsters who will be carrying that torch for Zimowski's future will be second year starting second baseman P.J. Alvanos, who is just 10 years old. Alvanos, a Phillies fan who roots for Chase Utley, made several key stops at second tonight to give his team a chance. "I think we did good tonight, if it wasn't for that one inning we were right with them," Alvanos said.

Congratulations to both clubs on a fine season and especially to Fire Department (15-1) on your crown. For Brad Moore, Cullen Moran and Ryan Faro that victory that seemed impossible 4 years ago seems to have found you boys tonight. Or was it your hard work that led you to victory? I suspect it was the latter.

New Hartford Fire 12 Zimowski Foods 5

Box Score

                      1   2   3   4   5   6        R   H    E

Zimowski         1   0    0  3   1   0        5    6     1

NHFD              0   4    1  5   2   x       12  11    1