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Tournaments  | Championship  | 7/31/2024

Dodgers Nation Complete Comeback

Hannah Jo Groves     
Photo: Dodgers Nation (Perfect Game)
After giving up an early lead, Dodgers Nation turned things around to get the 8-5 win over Dallas Tigers Ortegon for the 2024 Florida Summer Select win.

The afternoon Florida sun was scorching in the stadium of JetBlue Park. The heat was not what the New-York-based Dodgers Nation were used to, but they were firing on all cylinders through the first few innings - with extra hitter and tournament MVP Justin Lebowitz striking first for his team with a RBI single to right.



However, in the top of the fourth with the score at 3-0, the Dallas Tigers managed to load the bases with catcher Carter Curry up to bat - who knocked in 3 runs with a single to left field - showing speed and heads-up base running. An additional run came in for the Tigers on a passed ball - giving them a 4-3 lead.

Momentum shifted, though, at the top of the fifth, when Dodgers Nation shortstop Jimmy Lewis made a jaw-dropping, jumping catch to end the frame. Just when the Dallas Tigers crowd thought it was a base hit, Lewis launched himself into the air and fell with the ball, an abrupt cut-off that started the other crowd cheering.

"Right off the bat, I saw it,” Lewis said. "I knew I had to get in the hole. It was gonna be a hard play. I just laid out and caught it. I was hyped.”

Stepping up to the plate in the next half inning, Lewis capitalized on that momentum by crushing a double out to right field to bring in 2 runs - retaking the lead and making the stands and dugout erupt in loud cheers. With those two in, the runs just kept coming from there.

"We have a good defensive team,” said Dodgers Nation head coach Brian Cunningham. "Especially our shortstop, Jimmy Lewis - he made a lot of good plays out there. Aidan Walsh in center field - we feel like we’re very strong up the middle with our catcher (Richie Conte) as well. When we can make plays behind our pitchers and we’re throwing strikes, we’re pretty tough to beat.”

Leading the Dodgers Nation defense for last four innings of the championship game was position player and right-hander Ryan Solomon. Through 4 innings of work, Solomon struck out 4 with low-70s fastballs and mid-60s curveballs.

Tournament MVPitcher, right-hander Will Carroll, came out strong for Dodgers Nation, pitching a no-hitter in their very first game of the tournament - throwing only 58 pitches.

"I just painted my locations,” Carroll said. "My fastball was really working - my curveball, my slider, everything was just really working for me.”

Carroll, who played third base for the championship match, shared one of the biggest challenges through the weekend:

"Ooh, it is hot out here, man. It is so hot. It feels like it’s, like, a hundred degrees out here. It’s so bad. But we just fought through it and did well.”

Along with the obstacle of the heat, this Dodgers Nation team is relatively new - meaning this tournament was vital for building chemistry and strong relationships. Coach Cunningham said he feels like he’s seen his team bond and grow since their start - and now, especially from this win.

"I think it’s more, not even about the win - just about from where we were a week ago - because we were 1-8 in our last 9 games. And then they figured it out. They rallied together and just had that toughness. I think that’s what they take away from it. And I think they will,” Cunningham said.

This Dodgers Nation team will make their next PG appearance in more familiar territory at the PG Northeast Select Championship in Yaphank, New York starting August 9.
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