Dustin Realini stars in Florida

Local player helps NorCal team nail Junior Olympic 3rd

By Dick Sparrer

It was a summer vacation to remember for Cupertino's Dustin Realini.

The Monta Vista High School senior took a summer trip to Florida. But he wasn't there just to visit Disney World and the Atlantic Coast-he was there to play baseball.

Realini was a member of the Northern California team that competed in the AAU Junior Olympic Baseball Tournament. The NorCal squad placed third in the 44-team tourney, and Realini joined teammates John Jasso of Eureka and Sean O'Brien of Dixon on the all-tournament team.

Northern California opened the medal round of the tournament with an 8-5 victory over the Iowa state champion. Jasso and Sean Smith of Concord ripped two hits apiece and Andrew Slorp of Morgan Hill was the winning pitcher.

The NorCal squad dropped a tough 2-1 decision to Orlando a game later, despite a strong pitching performance by Jason Mattucchi.

The loss dropped Northern California into the third-place contest while Orlando went on to play for the gold. Team Florida could not field a team for the third-place game because of injuries, and Northern California took home the bronze. Orlando beat East Cobb of Georgia for the tournament championship.

Northern California opened with a 2-1 win in 11 innings over the state champs from South Carolina with O'Brien going the distance for the mound win.

Realini had two hits and Slorp ripped a three-run homer, but the locals lost 12-7 to Team Florida a game later.

Realini came back with two more hits to drive in two runs to pace Northern California to an important 3-1 win over Puerto Rico. Slorp tossed the win for NorCal.

The win pushed Northern California into the championship pool. Realini had two hits and scored three runs in a 9-3 win over New Hampshire. Mattucchi was the winning pitcher.

O'Brien picked up the pitching win and Chris Gruler of Brentwood nailed the save in a 7-4 win over the state champion from New Jersey. Thomas Incavilia of Salinas had three hits to drive in four runs in the win, and Chris Campos of Modesto ripped a solo homer. Jasso and Realini continued to swing the hot bats with two hits apiece.

Realini took the mound for the final game of the championship pool and flipped six strong innings, allowing just a run on six hits. Billy Munic of Davis tossed the final inning, and Northern California wrapped up a 13-1 win. Smith, Jasso, Mattucchi and Realini had two hits each in the win.

Realini singled and doubled and scored a run and Jasso singled and scored a run to lead NorCal to a crucial 2-1 win over Tennessee. Gruler was the winning pitcher in the game that pushed NorCal into the medal round.

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