BABE RUTH WORLD SERIES: Mid-County suffers first defeat
Published 12:35 pm Monday, August 5, 2019
Mid-County played the comeback role twice in the Babe Ruth 16- to 18-year-old World Series. On Monday, Ohio Valley Regional champion Crown Point, Indiana, was having none of that.
Crown Point surged to a 6-1 lead through two innings and shook up standings in the National Division of the tournament with a 6-3 win over the Nederland-based Southwest Regional champion at the University of Mobile. Crown Point is now 1-2 in pool play.
Mid-County on Tuesday can still clinch the No. 1 seed in the pool for bracket play against Bakersfield, California, which is 3-0 in National standings. The National and American pool winners each will earn a first-round bye.
Bakersfield opened the World Series outlasting Crown Point, 7-6, in 17 innings, the longest game in BRWS history. That game started before Friday’s deluge and was finished Saturday morning.
Mid-County (11-1) struggled to solve Crown Point pitcher Ryan Bolda, who struck out 10, but tagged him for two earned runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Landon Hiltz led the Texas charge going 2 for 4 with two runs scored.
Omar Mascorro opened the scoring in the first with a two-out single. Christian Mojiea got Crown Point going later that frame with a one-run single, and the Indiana team took the lead on a sacrifice grounder.
Crown Point executed a sacrifice bunt for the second out in the second inning and produced four runs on four straight hits — two singles and two doubles. Hiltz, who singled to lead off the third, stole second and scored on an error by Crown Point’s catcher to cut into the deficit, 6-2.
It became 6-3 after Carson Roccaforte singled to score Hiltz in the fifth. Mid-County went three-up, three-down in the sixth and stranded Brian Davila, who walked, at first base in the seventh.
Adam Roccaforte, Kamden Grant and Davila each had a hit for Mid-County. Josh Suslowicz (two runs scored), Rich (two runs) and Mojiea (two RBI) each had two hits for Crown Point.
Noah Gregory struck out two but allowed five earned runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings for Mid-County. Cade Holyfield struck out one in seven pitches of relief.
Kristichan Beebe earned the save, walking one in 16 pitches.
After Friday’s schedule was rained out, Mid-County scored three runs in the sixth inning to top Onondaga, New York, 3-2. The very next game Saturday, Carson Roccaforte drove in five runs in helping Mid-County come from 4-0 down through two inning to beat Vancouver, Washington, 10-4.
Mid-County vs. Bakersfield will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday and can be streamed at: jockjive.com/baberuthbaseball.html. (Viewers should scroll down from the White Wing Lodge image to find the link.) Bracket play is Wednesday through Friday.
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I.C. Murrell: 721-2435. Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews