The hitters took center stage in the championship game of the 1999 Central Region tournament, and the Brownsburg (IN) Little League all-star team had enough firepower to hold off Chicago Westlawn 11-8 and earn a trip to the Little League World Series.

Brownsburg and Westlawn combined for 23 hits -- more than the other three U.S. region championship games combined -- along with nine errors and five walks in their title game marathon. The Bulldogs batted around in a five run fourth inning that helped them build a 7-1 lead, only to see Westlawn return the favor in a six run fifth inning rally that knotted the score. Brownsburg finally overcame Westlawn with a four run rally in the top of the sixth that was fueled by a trio of hits and three Chicago errors.

Brownsburg's performance en route to the title game was more refined. The Indiana champions had little trouble dispatching of its opponents in pool play competition, and rolled through the National Division pool with a 5-0 record. Lance Lynn established the standard for Brownsburg in the opener with a three hit, twelve strikeout performance in a 4-1 win over Oak Creek (WI). Two days later, Matt Snyder and eleven-year-old Zach Mills combined on a four inning no-hitter over Cherokee Community (KS). Gary King, Alex Hendrickson, and Lynn all contributed homers to Brownsburg's eleven hit attack in the 13-0 win.

The early wins left Brownsburg in control of their own destiny, where they would remain throughout the tournament. Subsequent wins over the Oklahoma and Iowa state champions meant that Brownsburg clinched a semifinal berth two days before pool play ended. After a day off, Brownsburg knocked Tallmadge, OH from the unbeaten ranks with a relatively meaningless 6-4 victory -- both teams entered the game with 4-0 records and had clinched semifinal berths, leaving only seeding in the semifinal round to play for. The Ohio champions rested ace pitchers Derek Tomello and Cory Hindel to preserve their eligibility for the semifinal round, and Brownsburg rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to claim the victory. Sean Veza hit a solo home run in the top of the third to give the Indiana champions a 4-3 lead, and later launched a towering two-run homer in the fifth that padded the lead to 6-3. Bulldog starter Matt Snyder settled down after allowing three first inning runs, and surrendered only one run on two hits the rest of the way while Veza and company mounted the comeback.

While Brownsburg and Tallmadge methodically worked their way through the National Division pool, the American Division pool had a bit more drama. Commerce Township (MI) handed Westlawn an opening round loss, and both clubs, along with Little Lakes North (Shoreview, MN), stayed in the hunt for semifinal round berths as pool play progressed. Little Lakes North streaked to four consecutive victories, including a 4-2 win over Commerce Township on the tournament's third day. Ryan Cafferty picked up his second victory of the tournament for the Minnesota club, turning in a two-hit performance to compliment his opening round three-hitter against Nebraska champion Omaha Keystone on the tournament's first day. Commerce Township committed seven errors to help the Minnesota offense in the loss.

While Little Lakes North continued to remain unbeaten, Westlawn began to work their way back into contention. Ryne White threw a three-hitter and struck out 13 as Westlawn disposed of Rapid City Harney (SD) 7-3 following the Commerce loss, and teammate Kevin Goshorn raised the bar with a 14 strikeout performance in a 11-2 win over Keystone. White then returned to set the standard in his next outing. The lefthander struck out 17 in an 8-0 shutout of East Missouri that helped the Illinois champions keep pace with Commerce, who defeated Rapid City Harney 7-5 to extend their record to 3-1.

Two developments on the final day of pool competition helped boost Westlawn to the top of the standings. First, Omaha Keystone upset Commerce Township 5-3, meaning the the Michigan champions needed a Westlawn loss to advance to the semifinals. The Chicagoans were unwilling to oblige. In a game previewing what was to come in the tournament's championship game, Westlawn outslugged Little Lakes West 20-11 to complete their comeback from the opening round loss and secure a spot in the semifinals.

Both Westlawn and Brownsburg rode the strong arms and big bats of their pitchers to semifinal round victories. While Brownsburg was stranding eight runners on base over the first four innings against Little Lakes West, Lynn was patiently keeping the Minnesota bats in check. Lynn surrendered only two hits and struck out ten through four innings -- he would finish with 13 strikeouts -- and finally put the Brownsburg offense on the board by hammering a hanging breaking ball over the left field fence for a two-run homer in the fifth. Lynn's blow opened the floodgates. Snyder added an RBI double later in the inning, and number nine hitter Cory Dragstrem added a two-run blast of his own to send Brownsburg to the championship game with a 5-0 victory.

While Lynn led the Brownsburg effort, White was a one man gang for the Illinois representatives. White scattered five hits and struck out 15 as Westlawn edged Tallmadge 4-3 to secure the other title game berth. White also homered and finished 2-for-2 at the plate, raising his region tournament batting average to an eye-popping .737 (14-for-19). White would finish the tournament with three homers, eight RBIs, and 13 runs scored in seven games.

The title game between Brownsburg and Westlawn started quietly enough. Both teams were held scoreless through two innings, and each left the bases loaded early. Lynn's RBI single drove home Hendrickson with the game's first run, but Goshorn's line homer to center evened the score at 1-1 through three innings.

Brownsburg's offense began to click in the fourth. The local squad sent ten batters to the plate, with Veza's RBI double and Nick Shipley's pinch single giving Brownsburg a 3-1 lead. A pair of run-scoring passed balls and Zach Koontz's line single to left padded the lead, and Veza's leadoff homer in the fifth gave Brownsburg a 7-1 advantage.

Westlawn wasn't ready to concede, however, and rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Michael Kafka opened the inning with a walk, and White then drilled a line shot that struck pitcher Mills on the elbow. White was retired when the ball ricocheted to Lynn, who stepped on first, but Mills had to leave the game due to the blow. The Illinois squad then intensified their efforts. Four hits, an error, and a walk plated six runs, and the two squads entered the sixth inning with the score tied 7-7.

Brownsburg responded with another rally. The Bulldogs scored four times in the top of the sixth -- Veza's triple and an RBI single from Colin Steele were among the key blows, and then held on for the victory.

Brownsburg watched another team come back from a big deficit at the Little League World Series, but this time didn't have the opportunity to respond. The Central champions led eventual U.S. champion Phenix City National (AL) 4-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, only to watch the South contingent rally behind Kyle Tidwell's improbable game-ending grand slam that lifted Phenix City to a 5-4 victory. Brownsburg also dropped tight contests to New Jersey powerhouse Toms River East American (3-1) and to West Region upstart South Central Boise (2-0) to finish World Series pool competition with an 0-3 record.

Linescores:

Championship Game	1	2	3	4	5	6		R	H	E
Brownsburg	0	0	1	5	1	4		11	13	3
Chicago Westlawn	0	0	1	0	6	1		8	10	6

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