1998 15-and-Under Division NIT NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

KINGSPORT, Tennessee - The South Shore Baseball Club's 15-and-under Seadogs' baseball team captured the 1998 AAU National Invitational Championship.

The hard hitting Seadogs won eight of nine contests in the tournament, while outscoring their opponents by an average of seven runs a game. Weymouth pitcher/shortstop Ryan Morgan was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. He was 3-0 on the mound with an earned run average of 1.29 and batted .600 (12-20, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI) with 20 runs scored.

Morgan hurled a complete game 3-hitter in the 8-1 victory against the Willow Glen Red Sox of San Jose (CA) in the championship final game. The right hander fanned 12, didn't hit or walk a batter and went to a three ball count only twice.

Four players in addition to Morgan were named to the All-Tournament Team:

Scituate centerfielder/pitcher Mike Conroy (.545, 7 2B, 1 HR, 20 RBI, 16 RS). Hanson thirdbaseman/firstbaseman Jason Delaney (.542, 2 2B, 2 3B, 18 RBI, 11 RS) Middleboro designated hitter Deke Hebb (.423 4 2B, 1 HR, 10 RBI) Randolph firstbaseman/pitcher Mark Rosen (.381 3 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 2-0, 1.08 ERA)

The Seadogs faced possible elimination in the third game of the first pool competition in the 36-team field. They advanced to pool 2 with a 5-1 win against previously unbeaten Seattle (WA) and went on to close out the tourney with six more consecutive victories.

"We were in a must win situation after losing our second game," Niles remarked. "The Seattle game was critical. We had to not only win, but keep our runs against down in order to have a chance to advance to the medal round. Rosen really came up big. He's got a lot of guts. He's only fourteen, you know." Deke Hebb pinch hit with two outs in the top of the seventh and hit the first pitch he saw more than 400 feet to deep left for a homerun to increase the lead to 5-0. "In some ways, it felt like Deke's bomb is when the tournament really started. It sort of served notice that we were different from the other teams".

The Seadogs then went on a rampage, scoring double figures in five straight games, while using the 10-run mercy rule twice, before turning the final game over to Morgan.

"I knew we would have a chance of winning it all if we played to our potential," Niles said. "The whole team went out and did it. Offensively we were tremendous, the pitching was very good and the defense was good enough. The team really held together through thick and thin. They deserve a lot of credit. I'm really proud of them."

The other members of the Seadogs' championship team were Braintree catcher Anthony Bissanti, Easton infielder Brian Donahue, Sandwich catcher Brian Martinez, Barnstable outfielder Bobby Scott and shortstop/pitcher JohnToffey, Mattapan secondbaseman Kevin Wynter, West Roxbury pitcher/thirdbaseman Kevin Rowley, Weymouth leftfielder/closer Drew Locke, Peabody outfielder Keith Moulaison, Mansfield (captain) secondbaseman Sean White, and Easton pitcher/outfielder Greg Scarlata.

SEADOGS' AAU National Invitational Baseball Tournament

Pool 1

Bay Area (CA) Pacific Knights 18-4 W
N. Carolina Devil Rays 7-6 L
Seattle (WA) IIS 5-1 W

Pool 2

Amity (NY) Eagles 11-3 W
Chesterfield (VA) Indians 10-5 W
Naples (FL) Baseball Club 16-5 W

Final 8

South Texas Hitmen 15-3 W
Hill City (VA) 14-9 W

Championship Final