In a turn of events that has shocked even the team's own coaches, the Garden City Bombers 17-year-old baseball club has won the first two games of its tournament in the Dominican Republic. "This is God's work as much as mine," Head Coach Lou Santos said. "They might have sent great players out against us, but we played in synchronization as a team. All these teams have great players, but we did the simple things correctly."

The Bombers beat Liga La Javilla 8-6 on Monday and Liga Robinson De La Cruz 6-5. "We made no errors," first baseman Joe Mohen said. "We just played better defense as a team, and that's why we won."

The Bombers arrived in Santo Domingo on June 30, beginning workouts the following day. The tournament team includes a contingent from Garden City High School, pitcher Steve Spagnuolo from Chaminade High School, as well as the MVPs from Roosevelt (Eduin Delossantos) and Hempstead High School (Delby Vinas) teams.

Opening Day was Monday, July 3, against the team managed by Dominican Baseball legend Juan Jose Carmona, and an All-Star team from Liga Javilla. Senor Carmona has taken many teams to success in tournaments around the world, such as past victories in the Little League World Series and semi-professional tournaments.

After opening game ceremonies in which Senor Carmona himself threw out the first pitch, La Javilla sent southpaw Angel Felix to start, given the Bombers lineup included seven left-handed hitters. With children waving the Dominican Flag in the stands, in the first inning Kevin O'Hanlon, who has been on a tear, hit a double into right center. Andrew Rocco, batting left-handed, hit an outside pitch the other way, right down the left field line, getting the Bombers on the scoreboard first. In the bottom of the first, the La Javilla leadoff hitter beat out an infield hit. Assistant Coach Joe Rocco commented, "That was the fastest kid I have ever seen." La Javilla then loaded the bases, and with their clean-up hitter coming up with no one out, the outlook was poor. Then their clean-up hitter hit a ground ball to shortstop, and second baseman Pete O'Hanlon played a perfect 6-4-3 pivot, firing to first baseman Joe Mohen to complete the double play. The Bombers got out of the inning with only one run.

In the second inning Joe Mohen hit one up the middle but was stranded. In the third, the Bombers scored again when red hot Kevin O'Hanlon got another hit up through the right side, followed by Andrew Rocco earning a walk after fouling off six straight pitches.

By the fifth inning it was mid-day in the Caribbean sun, and both teams' pitchers were exhausted. Chaminade flame thrower Steven Spagnulo relieved Rocco.

The seventh and last inning opened up with the Bombers trailing 5-4. Pete O'Hanlon led off hitting a ball up the middle. The Dominican shortstop got to the ball, but it was too deep to make a play at first. With O'Hanlon on first, Coach Lou Santos gave the bunt sign to Chris Buhse, who laid down a perfect sacrifice moving O'Hanlon to second base. Then Westley Witts hit a double in the gap scoring O'Hanlon with the tying run. Then yet again, Kevin O'Hanlon and A-Rock drove base hits into the gaps and the Bombers led 8-6. In the bottom of the seventh, Spagnulo showed again why he wins at Chaminade, striking out the first two batters. The final out was a ground ball, and as first baseman Joe Mohen stepped on the base, the Bombers accomplished what they all thought was unthinkable. They beat La Javilla.

On Wednesday July 5, the Bombers traveled to Estadio La Normal in Santo Domingo to play Liga Robinson De La Cruz. They fell behind 5-0 in the first inning, but battled back to tie by the last (seventh) inning 5-5. Then in the top of the eighth, they scored the go ahead run, and once again, Steve Spagnulo just overpowered Liga Robinson De La Cruz hitters in relief.

The Bombers players attend Garden City and Chaminade High Schools, and compete in the 17-18 Connie Mack wooden bat league locally.