By Will Harrigan

The New York City-based Dream Chasers Academy 10U squad has been akin to a machine in 2022, taking home six tournament championships this past summer.

While they exacted some revenge in the final, the energetic crew wearing yellow and black continued their success right into their fall season.

The Fall Classic was only a four-team tango in the 10U division, and when all was said and done, the Dream Chasers used a 13-run barrage in the first inning to take a 21-7 victory over Bronx-based Renegades Blue on a misty Sunday evening at Diamond Nation.

Leadoff batter Ronan Mooney — seemingly on base all weekend long — won the MVP honors.

The runaway victory in the final avenged the Dream Chasers’ 7-6 loss to the Renegades in pool play. The Dream Chasers outscored all competition by a 59-19 margin. Renegades Blue, which put up six runs in the final inning in a fighting effort, finished their tournament at 3-1.

“I think losing the first time really bothered our guys, and made them refocus going into the finals,” said Dream Chasers coach Steve Martinez. “Getting off to a fast start is always important in these kinds of games, especially at a lower age level.”

So fast did the winners start, that nine runs were put up on the board before a single out was recorded.

Seven walks, two hit batsmen, and two fielding mishaps did no favors to the Renegades, but the Dream Chasers came up with some big hits as well.

Mooney singled to leadoff the game, and two walks promptly loaded the bases. The game’s first run came when Amir Rodriguez was struck by a pitch.

That set up Dream Chasers pitcher Mike Sacco to help out his own cause, singling in a pair of runs to extend the lead to 3-0. Ironically, Sacco would close out the scoring frenzy in the first by singling in two more runs with two men out.

Between those clutch hits, the Dream Chasers also received a big blast from Blake Martinez, who belted a ball into the left-center gap to sprint out a two-run triple.

An inning later, Dylan DiMichele would walk to lead off the second, and came around to score when a fielding error in the infield wound up costing the Renegades two bases.

The Renegades were again afflicted with numerous walks issued in the third, and it allowed the champions to put up seven more runs. Liam Toribio provided the most exciting moment of the game when his shot to right-center field turned into an inside the park home run. Dylan Peralta also doubled in a run in that frame.

The walk bug then got to the Dream Chasers in the third, and the Renegades capitalized by putting seven on the board. Alex Burgos, Zarian Castro, Liam Rozon, and Jeremiah Paz all walked to score a run, while Angel Wagner grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice in the rally.