By By ADAM FISHER / Niles Daily Star
Giving up six runs in the final inning to lose the first game in a state tournament would dishearten any team. When it happened Saturday to Niles' 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars, they saw it as a wake up call.
After losing in the worst of ways, Niles won three straight contests in the state championship to win the crown.
It was the first time a 15-year-old team has won a state championship since 2001. It was also the fifth time in six years the 15-year-olds advanced to the championship game.
Niles started the tournament slowly. They scattered a few hits in the first two innings of game one against Grosse Point Woods-Shores. But with the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the third, Niles exploded for eight runs and a 9-1 lead.
The All-Stars scored the runs on six hits and three walks.
Grosse Point struggled early as well. Niles' starting pitcher Monte Ort limited Gross Point to few hits in the first three innings.
Grosse Point proved how well it could hit in the fourth by scoring three runs.
The seventh inning, however, was when Grosse Point's hitters showed their skill. They scored six runs to overcome a eight-run deficit and win the game 11-10.
Dustin Anderson, Monte Ort, Keith Bouwkamp and J.D. Miller each had two hits for Niles. Aaron Koziel and Kevin Ostrowski knocked in two runs apiece in the first game.
After the disappointing loss, Niles had to face Grosse Point South just hours later. South had just finished pounding Grosse Point Woods-Shores 10-0.
In the second game, it was Niles that made the comeback. Down 7-6 in the top of the sixth, the All-Stars scored four times to take a 10-7 lead. They held off South in the seventh to win the game 10-8.
Monte Ort almost single-handedly pulled Niles back from behind in the game. He hit a game-tying double in the third inning and singled in the sixth to put Niles ahead. Ort finished 4-for-4 on the night, including two doubles and three RBIs. Aaron Kuziel also had three RBIs.
Ort came up big on the mound, too. He entered the game in the seventh inning with South threating to score. He struck out South's final batter, though, to end the game.
In all, Niles had 11 hits in beating South. Dustin Anderson, Bouwkamp, Kevin Ostrowski and Josh Teeter all chipped in with hits.
In Sunday's semifinals, Niles faced Grosse Point Woods-Shores in a rematch of it game one loss. Niles took revenge, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh to win the game 4-2 and advance to the championship match.
Ort again led Niles' batters with two hits. J.D. Miller scored two of the team's four runs.
Bouwkamp, Kuziel and Johnathan Rothfuchs also collected hits in Niles' victory. Ort earned the victory on the mound in three innings of work.
Nile's late-inning heroics in games two and three set the stage for an exciting rematch with South for the state championship.
The game turned out to be a disappointment to fans expecting a shoot-out, however, as Niles pulled ahead early and won easily 8-1.
The game was never in doubt. Niles scored the only runs it would need in the bottom of the first.
Bouwkamp hit a homerun and had two RBIs for Niles in the championship game . Teeter went 3-for-4, including two doubles and two RBIs.