Perfect Season

In three seasons, Lakewood Ranch Little Leaguer Rhett Rampinelli has never lost an All-Star game.
Nor have his teammates, Will Robertson, Tyler Weott and Garrett Kelly.

The foursome began their undefeated All-Star journey three years ago while playing for the league’s 9- and 10-year-old team. Lakewood Ranch, formerly known as Manatee East Little League, won on a game-saving double play in the bottom of the sixth inning for the boys’ first District 26 All-Star division title.

The boys returned the following season and once again put together a perfect season on their way to claiming the 10- and 11-year-old division title.

So, it was no surprise that the stakes were just as high when the boys trotted out onto the field for the start of the 11- and 12-year-old division championship of the District 26 Little League All-Star Tournament against East County rival Braden River July 13, at G.T. Bray Park.

After all, another perfect season was on the line.

Lakewood Ranch, which had defeated Braden River twice in pool play, needed a win to capture the division title, while Braden River needed a win to stay alive.

Behind the arm of 12-year-old pitcher Steven Varone, Lakewood Ranch dominated Braden River, posting a 9-0 shutout on its way to a perfect 7-0 record and the division title.

“For three years in a row, we haven’t lost a game in the district,” Rampinelli said. “No other team has done that in Manatee East, so I feel really proud.”

Varone, who never had lost an All-Star game on the mound in two seasons with Lakewood Ranch, struck out 11 of 21 batters in 5 1/3 innings of work.

“This (game), I was more confident,” said Varone, who also made the game-winning catch in center field to secure the victory for Lakewood Ranch. “I wanted to win really (badly), so I just concentrated on throwing strikes.

“It’s really fun,” Varone said. “It’s really cool to go to sectionals because not a lot of kids get to go.”

Varone held Braden River to just three hits before turning the ball over to Brock Sisson in the sixth inning after reaching the 85-count pitch limit.

“Tonight was one of his best outings I’ve seen, and he was very tough on us tonight,” Braden River coach Paul Thomas said. “His fastball was very overpowering. He had good command, and he was hitting all of his spots.”

Lakewood Ranch jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first two innings. The team, which scored 79 runs in seven games, has scored at least two runs in the first inning of every game this season.
Rampinelli went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and three runs scored; and Sisson went 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored to lead the way for Lakewood Ranch at the plate. Colton Zimring also had a pair of hits and drove in four runs.

Lakewood Ranch scored four runs in the sixth inning on RBI hits by Sisson and Kelly to secure the victory for Lakewood Ranch.

“Every first inning, we’ve scored at least two runs, and, so, whenever Steven’s pitching, we know they’re not going to score a lot of runs,” Rampinelli said. “So if we can get a big lead we’ve got a pretty good chance of winning.”

John Bean III, Codey Metters and Kareem Lewis each had a hit for Braden River.

With the win, Lakewood Ranch will represent Manatee County in the Section IV Tournament July 22, in Haines City.

“It’s a tight-knit group, and the kids that have got to sit, sit and they cheer on the team and then rotate in,” Lakewood Ranch coach Paul Weott said. “I don’t have a weak player on the team. These are good baseball players. They’re fantastic — just a fun group; and I think fun wins a lot of times.

“They know they can put the bat on the ball and there’s very few errors with this team. This is a good ball team. If our pitching matchups are good then we have a chance up there. This year, we have way deeper pitching and these kids are throwing better than they’ve ever thrown. We’re excited.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].