Bombs away!

The South Highline National Nationals didn't have one home run, but little explosions more than made up for a '"master blaster" as the 13-15 year old boys beat West Seattle, 20-4, in a 10-run rule shortened five-inning game played Wednesday eve at Rainier Beach Playfield.

"I think this was the highest scoring game of the tournament," said Ron Dickneite, the Nationals' second-year manager who watched his boys slap silly the ball 20 times in just five innings of play.

Winning means the Nationals played for the championship Saturday (after press time) against the same team that beat them 9-2 last year in the championship.

Speaking of "master," Matt Perry mastered the West Seattle offense, allowing one little run in the first before shutting out the foe the rest of the way, with Jaramillo-King Samson pitching one frame in between Perry's masterful effort.

If manager Dickneite had to name one player of the 11 on the Nationals team that stood out for making things happen out there both physically and socially, it would be Perry.

"Matt (Perry) is a leader," said Dickneite, who coached this team last year, losing in the final to the Rainier Red team they were set to play again Saturday.

So, Matt gets you going?

"Yeah," said Dickneite.

He is one of our aces and was last year, too."

Perry's controlled flick-quick pitches from 90 feet were right to the plate every time, showing that the added distance from 60 feet does not bother him the last couple years pitching it.

That's the thing, too. Perry had experience throwing from being on this team the last two years.

"I'm in my third year now, I'm pretty experienced at this level, the changed the ages for playing juniors level," he said.

Perry single handedly changed the game, not just with his pitching. He was crazy with the bat, too.

Guess how many of those 20 runs he hit RBI in.

"Eight, I think," said Dickneite.

Crazy eight. There were others on the team doing things, too, besides Perry but he was fittingly enough the winning pitcher and also the one that collected the first RBI of the game for the Nationals in the top of the first inning.

Andre DeFils singled to lead things off. Then, one out later, Tim Lau drew a walk. Perry was up next and the Nationals' Number. 4 hitter did what that number hitter is supposed to do -- clean up. Perry's two-run double made it 2-0, SHN, and they scored one more on a Steven Champion single.

West Seatle came back to score one run on three singles. But that would be the only offensive action off Perry for them.

"I was getting better as the game went on," said Perry.

Leading, 3-1, going into the top of the second, again it was DeFils singling, Jaramillo-King Guyson singling, Lau singling, and Perry cleaning up the bases loaded situation like a magician pulling the tablecloth from underneath the full set table without even jiggling a spoon. Perry's third, fourth and fifth RBI came on a hot shot over the left center field area.

Perry proved he could hit the opposite direction, so to speak, too.

"I had some fun up there (at the plate)," said Perry. "I hit left-handed sometimes. I was glad I got on base. If I didn't, my coach would have been mad at me."

Perry went 4-for-5 at the plate. Lau was next, going 3-for-5.

All these runs that came so far and would be more to come, one in the third on a Levi Anderson walk, a Champion single and a DeFils RBI single, and six in the fourth on a Lau single, a Perry double, a Jaramillo-King Sampson single, a Matt Mone single, a Champion single, a Josh Roberts single and so on.

They capped things off with three in the fifth after West Seattle's rally came up short, three runs scored by the foe, as nixing a little comeback was a nice double play by the Nationals in the bottom of the fourth.

So defense was there this game and offense was certainly there this season for the Nationals.

And what about runs? How did Dickneite's team do in that department this season?

"We scored 160 runs this season and only allowed 69," he said.

The whole season has been better than last season, so maybe this time around they will not just play in the championship, they will win it.

Talking to his players after the game, Dickneite made it clear that the team had half of its goals for the season accomplished.

"We wanted to get to the TOC tournament, that was our first goal," he said. "And second, we want to win the TOC championship."

Last year, the Nationals were 11-7 for the league season. This year they won their season with a much more dominating 13-3 mark.

It makes a difference when coaching sticks around and Dickneite is now in his second year with the Nationals.

Dickneite's son was on the team last year but not this year. And that didn't matter to him if he would be around this time or not.

"This is my second family," he said. "It is the dedication and loyalty I give to them and we'll be sticking with them next year, too. Seven of the 11 on the team move up to seniors."

The coaches with Dickneite are Tim Roberts and Benny DeFils.

Players for the Nationals are Steven Champion, Andre DeFils, Clayton Nelson, Levi Anderson, Guyson Jaramillo-King, Samson Jaramillo-King, Tim Lau, Matt Perry, Josh Roberts, Matt Mone and Sam Kenny.