The Sugar Canes 12u Baseball team captured its’ second Super NIT victory of the spring. The Sugar Canes went 6-0 in the tournament which featured some of the top teams in 12u travel baseball. The Sugar Canes outscored their opponents 63-29 en route to their victory. The Sugar Canes opened up the tournament with a 10-9 victory over the West Florida Young Guns. The Young Guns battled back from a 4-1 deficit to take a 2 run lead into the final inning. The first 3 Sugar Canes hitters reached base with back to back singles and a walk. Triston Casas hit a walk-off bases clearing double to end the game. The next game featured one of the hottest teams in South Florida, Team Easton. Having defeated the SF Extreme, West Pines Cobras and Miami Sugar Kings in the March Madness NIT; Team Easton came into the tournament looking to earn a berth to the Elite 32. This game may not be a true indication for either team because key players were missing from both teams. Team Easton jumped out to an early lead when Paul Lanoce hit a solo homerun in the first inning. The Sugar Canes rallied back with 3 unanswered runs to take control of the game. The Sugar Canes' Raymond Sanchez took the mound for the last few innings and ended any hopes of a come back. The Sugar Canes would add 2 runs in each of the next 2 innings to seal the 7-2 victory. This was a rare match-up between teams that play out of the same Lantana Sports Complex. Look for great things out of Team Easton. Elimination would be a different story for the Sugar Canes. The PPO Bengals came into the game with nothing to lose. The Bengals took advantage of a few mistakes and some timely hitting to take an early 3-1 lead. The Sugar Canes battled back to cut the lead to 7-5 and eventually tie the game. This game would be decided in extra innings and ultimately won by the Sugar Canes. Lyon Richardson and Triston provided the long ball for the Sugar Cane offense. Lyon's walk-off homerun seemed to ignite the Sugar Canes offense as they would proceed to score 9, 13, and 16 runs in the next 3 games. The Mizuno Edge would provide little resistance to the Sugar Canes express. A lead-off double by Xavier Edwards led to an early run followed by hits from Casas, Sanchez, Richardson, Earl Semper, Angel Tiburcio, Alex Nicholaou and CJ Calero. Raymond Sanchez added a 2 run homer for good measure. This would provide all of the offense that would be needed. Havier Sans pitched a one-hit shutout to secure a 9-0 victory. In the Semi finals the Sugar Canes would face a stiff challenge from the Miami Sugar Kings who made it to the semis thanks to a 2 out 2 run walk-off homerun in their last inning. Lyon Richardson took the hill for the Sugar Canes and thanks to an electric fastball and deadly off speed pitch kept the Sugar Kings batters off balance for 2 innings. Meanwhile the Sugar Canes offense was flexing its’ muscle. A lead-off double by Edwards started the rally followed by singles from Nicholaou, Casas and Sanchez. The Sugar Canes would score 5 runs in the 1st. Edwards doubled from the left side of the plate his next at bat igniting another rally that saw the Sugar Canes bring 12 hitters to the plate. Hits by Semper, Casas, Nicholaou, Richardson, Sans and Jacob Mercado would lead to another 6 runs and a 11-1 lead. As always the Sugar Kings battled to the end. A pitching change by the Sugar Canes produced 5 Sugar Kings runs in the next inning to cut the lead to 11-6. Havier Sans then came in and shut the door on the potent Sugar Kings offense allowing no runs the last 2 innings. Final score Sugar Canes 13-6 over the Miami Sugar Kings. The final would not be as competitive. Giving credit where it's due the Sugar Canes would face the Florida Pokers in the finals. The Pokers surprised many by defeating some very good teams along the way. Many had not projected the Pokers to make the title game or secure a berth to the Elite 32, but hats off to that organization for getting the most out of their players. In the championship game Edwards staked the Sugar Canes out to an early lead with a solo homerun from the left side of the plate. A walk and single followed by a towering homerun from Richardson lead to an early 4 run lead. The Pokers would counter with a homerun of their own in the bottom of the inning and follow up with a 2 run homer in the next inning to cut the lead to 4-3. This would be as close as the Pokers would get. Casas hit a solo homerun in the 3rd, Sanchez added a 3 run shot in the same inning. Semper added a solo shot an inning later then Jacob Mercado would add a 3 run homer in the same inning. The Sugar Canes hit 6 homeruns in the Championship game and a total of 17 for the tournament. Richardson entered the game and closed out matters striking out 3 of 4 batters he faced. Carlos Fonseca and CJ did a great job behind the plate catching the Sugar Canes pitchers all weekend. Thanks to all who participated and hosted the event. And thanks to the tournament directors for making the event one to remember. For all of the teams that qualified this weekend for the Elite 32 World Series good luck. Go FPBL!!!