"But we knew they would be here tonight," Morales said.

Morales was right, as Lincoln Glen went on to pull out victories over Quito and Los Gatos American and earn a spot in the championship game. Once in the title game, Lincoln Glen caught fire, beating Saratoga 12-2 on July 20. The game ended after only five defensive innings for Lincoln Glen, due to the 10-run rule.

Two hurlers--Ryan Morfin and Matt Schmidt--combined to toss the two-run effort for Lincoln Glen, giving up only eight hits between them. Schmidt struck out eight in just three innings; five of those times he caught batters looking.

Saratoga, on the other hand, sent three players out to the mound--Brandon Morales, Ricky Ramirez and David McPartlan--and each one struggled with Lincoln Glen's power surge, but maintained poise and hit the strike zone consistently. The team could have found themselves in more trouble, but Saratoga backstop Greg Johnson played an integral role in holding runners, as he made excellent stops and throws throughout the game.

Both of Saratoga's runs were manufactured, as the team capitalized on its opponent's mistakes. Dillan Pak led off the game with a single to left, advanced on an opposite-field double from left-handed hitter Tim Lycurgus, and hustled home on a passed ball. When the dust settled, Pak's left foot had clearly slipped by Morfin's tag for the game's first run.

Saratoga would not score again until the fifth, though the squad had the bases loaded to challenge in the third and two on in the fourth. Lycurgus, the only two-hit batter for his team on the night, roped a single into left field which set up Andrew Barna to move him over to third. Lycurgus flew home on a wild pitch a batter later.

Lincoln Glen's early tournament woes were the result of an inconsistent offense, but Glomb simply told his team to be patient.

The bats did precisely that last Wednesday--by the end of the second inning, four different players had hits. The scoring charge began in the third inning, however, as lead-off hitter Michael Hollback hit a towering home run to centerfield. Kris Olugbode drew a walk, followed by a K.C. Sullivan double which allowed a clutch pinch-hit from Bobby Dickman. The score was 3-1 by the conclusion of the frame, and the team picked back up again the following inning.

Schmidt decided that he'd enjoyed Hollback's start to the third and nailed his own lead-off solo shot. Over the course of the tournament, four Saratoga players and four Lincoln Glen batters combined to hit over a dozen homers.

Hollback and Alex Behrendt walked after Schmidt's longball and both were driven home by Matt Glomb.

The fifth inning sealed the win for Lincoln Glen, as the team scored six runs on four hits without a single out registered. Kyle Ray was the first to cross the plate, while Morfin, Schmidt and Andrew Casalego followed. A double from Sullivan ended the game, scoring Hollback and Behrendt.