2019 PONY League World Series

Defending champion Chinese Taipei scored nine times over the final four innings on the way to a 9-1 win over Bay County, MI, in the World Series championship game. Sun, Yi Lei held the North Zone champions to one run and four hits over 6.1 innings to get the win.

The teams went scoreless to the fourth inning, each sending just one batter over the minimum to the plate. Chinese Taipei loaded the bases with one out then scored the game’s first run on Yang, Yu Cheng’s sacrifice fly to center. After a wild pitch, Hsu, Shao Yu singled to left, scoring a pair of runs.

A fifth inning error allowed the winners to plate two unearned runs. Tseng, Yi Wei pushed the lead to 6-0 with an RBI single in the sixth.

Two doubles, a single, two walks and a strikeout/wild pitch combined to extend the margin to 9-0 in the seventh. Bay County finally got on the board with two singles, a ground out and a balk.

Chinese Taipei has now won 16 consecutive World Series games and 10 PONY World Series championships since 1994.

Wilson Sporting Goods Batting Champion
Christian Gamboa, Brownsville, TX
.667 BA, 4-for-6 (11 plate appearances)

Easton Sports ERA Award
Edwin Cervantes, Guasave, MX
0.00 ERA, 0 ER, 6.2 IP

Defending champion Chinese Taipei will take on Bay County, MI Thursday night for the 2019 PONY League World Series championship. Both teams won their division championship games on last-at-bat solo home runs. Chinese Taipei beat Youngstown, OH, 5-4, thanks to Sun, Yi Lei’s one-out roundtripper in the top of the seventh inning. Bay County downed Simi Valley, CA, 2-1, off of Jace Giffel’s lead-off solo shot in the bottom of the sixth.

Simi Valley, CA completed its suspended-game victory over Host Washington County, PA adding five runs in the final two frames to the four-run lead built in the first inning Tuesday. Nico Ficele, Austin Neff and Luke Gill each drove in a pair of runs for the winners. Washington County committed four errors in the game, allowing the West Zone champions to score three unearned runs.

Tyler Johnson received the Voytek Award, presented annually to the Hosts’ leading hitter. Johnson was 5-for-10 (.500) with five singles, three RBI and five runs scored in the four Washington County games.

Defending champion Chinese Taipei scored single runs in five different innings, including Sun, Yi Lei’s solo home run in the top of the seventh, giving the Asia-Pacific Zone champions a 5-4 win over Youngstown, OH, eliminating the Host Area titlists. Anthony Malagise hit a two-run homer in the third for Youngstown, giving the Ohio squad a 4-2 lead, but they managed only one hit and two baserunners over the final four innings off winning pitcher Chang, Yuan Kai. Chang came on in relief to start the fourth and struck out five and walked one.

Bay County claimed its first-ever berth in the PONY World Series championship game with a 2-1 win over Simi Valley, CA. For the third straight game, the North Zone champions took the lead for good in the sixth inning, this time on Jace Giffel’s lead-off home run, setting the final score. Simi Valley scored its only run in the third as Landon Sawyer scored on Ethan Pena’s sacrifice fly. Bay County tied the game in the fifth. Devin Schular singled, was sacrificed to second and scored on Landon Sella’s RBI single. Kegan LaPan got the win in relief of Cole Schmidt, getting the starter out of a bases-loaded, no out jam in the sixth. Austin Neff was the hard-luck loser, allowing just two runs and six hits over six innings.

Persistent rain in the Washington area delayed the start of Tuesday’s World Series games. In the only completed game, Youngstown, OH eliminated Arecibo, PR, 9-5.

The second scheduled game of the day started but was suspended in the bottom of the first inning with Simi Valley, CA leading Washington County, PA, 5-1. The game will be resumed Wednesday at 3:00 pm.

The Division Championship games, scheduled for Tuesday night, have postponed and will be played Wednesday night.
5:30 pm Game 15 Chinese Taipei vs. Youngstown, OH
8:00 pm Game 16 Bay County, MI vs. Wash.Co/Simi winner

Chinese Taipei scored twice in four different innings Monday night, topping Youngstown, OH, 8-1. Pai Chen An, Tseng Yi Wei and Yang Tzu Chun each stroked solo home runs in the win. Youngstown’s only run came in a three-hit second, Jarrod Malagise scoring and Stephen Tarnoci’s single. The Asia-Pacific champions scored the final six runs of the game to move to Tuesday’s division final. Youngstown plays Arecibo, PR in an eliminiation game Tuesday morning (10 am).

Bay County, MI scored twice in the sixth then held on to beat Washington County, PA, 5-4. The North Zone squad plated two runs in the first only to see the Hosts score three times in the fourth. But Washington County errors in the fourth and sixth enabled Bay County to tie the game twice and take the lead for good. Bay County moves to the Division Championship game Wednesday night (8 pm). Washington County faces Simi Valley, CA in an elimination game Wednesday afternoon (12:30 pm).

Arecibo, PR scored three runs on five hits in the fifth inning, finishing off a 4-0 win over Guasave, eliminating the Mexico champion. Joel Core went the distrance, holding Guasave to just two hits, both singles, while striking out nine. He also delivered a two-run single in the fifth to close the scoring. Arecibo will play the Youngstown/Chinese Taipei loser in Tuesday morning’s elimination bracket.

West Zone champion Simi Valley, CA scored twice in the second inning without a hit on the way to a 4-2 win over Brownsville, TX. Christian Gamboa homered for Brownsville in the first, his second HR of the World Series. Ehtan Pena’s single tied the game in the bottom of the frame. In the Simi Valley second, Austin Neff walked and stole second. Trevor Hansen walked, then the two pulled a double steal. Noah Onoye’s grounder scored Neff and the resulting plays in the infield allowd Hansen to score, too. Sebastian Carchi picked up the win in relief, working 5.2 innings, holding Brownsville to one run and four hits. Simi Valley advances to Tuesday’s elimination game against the Washington County/Bay County loser.

Washington County, PA sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, blowing the game open on the way to an 11-1, six-inning win over West Zone champion, Simi Valley, CA. Andrew Kocan singled home two runs in the first, giving the Hosts a 3-0 lead, then doubled home a pair in the six-run fourth. Jake Egizio had two hits and two RBI. Connor Helbling, Mason Fixx and Calvin Daniels each drove in a row. Daniels now has 8 RBI in two games. Matthew Smith got the win, allowing just one run over four innings. Washington County is 2-0 in the tournament for the first time since 2001 and will play Bay County, MI in the winners’ bracket final Monday night. Simi Valley managed just three hits, all singles, and drops into the elimination bracket Monday afternoon.

Guasave, Mexico strung together three straights singles for all they would need, eliminating Hagerstown, MD, 3-0. Luis Liera’s basehit scored Santiago Lopez with the games first run. In the top of the seventh, Guasave used an error and four walks to add two more. Winning pitcher Edwin Cervantes was dominant, holding Hagerstown to just two hits while striking out 11 batters. Guasave will face Arecibo, PR in a Monday morning elimination game (10 am).

Brownsville,. TX stole an all-time record 18 bases and held London to one hit, eliminating the European champions, 12-2, in six innings. Ismael Villarreal doubled twice and drove in three runs for the South Zone team that took advantage of five London errors. Five pitchers combined to hold the European squad to just a last-inning single by Ricky Summi.

Bay County, MI pulled within a run in the fifth inning, tied the game and scored the game-winner in the sixth as the North Zone champions beat Brownsville, TX, 3-2. Aiden Robinson drove in one run with a single. Jace Giffel stole home to tie the game and Nathan Ball followed home on a wild pitch. Brownsville scored first on Christian Gamboa’s solo home run leading off the fourth. After two out in the fifth, Kevin Ibarra singled, stole second, then scored on a pair of wild pitches. Ben Sporman, the fourth of five Bay County pitchers got the win, with Landon Sella getting the final out for a save. Ismael Villarreal took the loss. Bay County moves to Monday’s winners’ bracket game. Brownsville faces an elimination game Sunday evening.

Washington County, PA scored the most runs in program history in rolling to a 23-3 win over London, UK. Calvin Daniels drove in seven runs with four hits, including a three-run double in the fourth. Winning pitcher Mason Fixx had three hits, two doubles and drove in four runs while holding London to just two hits and two runs over four innings. Washington County advances to play Simi Valley, CA Sunday afternoon. London faces Brownsville in a Sunday night elimination game.

5:30 pm Chinese Taipei vs. Arecibo, PR

Arecibo, PR scored nine times in the middle innings, rallying past Hagerstown, MD, 11-9, in the opening game. Joaniel Sanchez and Joel Core hit home runs for the Caribbean champions. Marcos Arocho threw 3.2 innings of shutout relief, allowing one hit, to get the win.

Anthony Miller threw five shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out 10 batters as Youngstown, OH beat Guasave, Mexico, 6-0, to advance to Monday’s winners’ bracket game. Jarrod Malagise drilled a two-run home run in the sixth to give reliever Stephen Tarnoci some breathing room.

It’s Opening Day at the 2019 DICK’S Sporting Goods PONY League World Series. Ten teams, two division, one world championship. The Home Run Derby & Fastest Runner Contest take the field at 11 am.

Friday’s game action starts with Arecibo, PR taking on Hagerstown, MD at 5:30 pm, followed by Youngstown, OH facing Guasave, Mexico at 8 pm.

Saturday’s schedule includes the Champions League game at 9:30 am and opening ceremonies at 11 o’clock. A triple-header of World Series action starts at 12 noon, including Washington County, PA vs. London, UK at 2:30 pm.

The ten-team field for this year’s DICK’S Sporting Goods PONY League World Seies is set. The final four berths were decided Sunday.

East Zone–Hagerstown, MD defeated Chesterfield, VA, 7-3, to win the title and claim a return to the World Series after a one-year absence.

Host Area–Youngstown, OH downed Flood City, 11-10, to win their third-straight Host Area title and berth in the World Series.

South Zone–Brownsville, TX scores an 11-1 win over NASA Orange (Houston), TX to win their third-straight title, their fifth berth in the World Series.

West Zone–Trailing 3-2 in the final inning, Simi Valley, CA walked off with a two-run, iinside-the-park home run to win the zone championship and a second trip to the World Series. Their last visit ws in 2006 and reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich was part of that runner-up squad.

Washington County, PA (Host) will be joined by those winners and teams from London, England (Europe), Guasave, Sinaloa (Mexico), Arecibo, Puerto Rico (Caribbean), Bay County, MI (North Zone) and defending champion Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific) when the tournament gets underway Friday, Aug. 9.