AAA Twins use perfect 5-0 tournament to secure championship
It’s all about catching fire at the right time. And because they were firing on all cylinders come the start of the playoffs, the AAA Twins capped their season with a championship.
The Twins breezed through the District 9 Minors Tournament of Champions to eventually defeat Salinas Atlantic 8-1 at American Field for the title. Their championship marked the third consecutive year that a Hollister team secured the Minor TOC title.
After winning the first half of the American League regular season in Hollister Little League and thus gaining their playoff bid, the Twins used their deep coaching staff to work on player development, even at the expense of immediate results. The strategy paid off enormously as the team rolled to five straight wins in the TOC, most of the blowout variety.
Twins manager Manny Amaral was quick to credit his entire roster and fellow coaches, calling the championship a true team effort.
“There was no single player that dominated for us,” Amaral said. “All the kids on the team contributed to winning at different times. Every player had a different moment to shine.”
The Twins outscored their five TOC opponents by a combined score of 52-9, never allowing more than four runs and never winning by less than four runs.
Asked to pinpoint a defining moment in the championship run, Amaral suggested the Twins’ 11-0 victory in the opening round over the crosstown Reds on June 17 sparked his team.
“I think it was from the very first game,” the Twins’ manager said. “They hit the ball very well, they fielded the ball very well. Right from Game 1, the whole team was hitting the ball hard and that just carried through the five games.”
Amaral also said the six pitchers the Twins used in the TOC played just as significant a role in the team’s success.
“Our pitching was outstanding,” Amaral said.
The Twins thumped National 17-4, defeated Hartnell 4-0 and then blasted Soledad 12-4 to get to the championship game.
