Manchester, NH scored six times in the fourth and rolled to the program’s first-ever PONY World Series victory, eliminating San Jose, CA, 9-2. Runs scored on a sacrifice, a fielder’s choice, Noah Durham’s two-run single, a hit by Maddox Turck and Henry Dubois’ RBI double. San Jose scored their only runs of the tournament in the bottom of the inning on a wild pitch and squeeze bunt before NH put the game away in the seventh. Ryan Dutton, Dillon Gaudet and Durham went double-single-double to close the scoring. Jaiden Bosquet got the win for his 5.2 innings of work, allow two runs and four hits while striking out eight. San Jose’s first trip to the World Series wasn’t without bright spots. David Colon won the Home Run Derby Individual championship and is the tournament’s leading hitter among eliminated players. Pitcher Zack Koontz is the ERA leader, having worked 7.1 scoreless innings in the opening round loss to Brownsville. San Jose also won the Team Home Run Derby title. Manchester faces Brownsville, TX Monday morning (10:00 am) in an elimination game.
Brownsville, TX built a 2-0 lead only to see Johnstown, PA score three times in the bottom of the fifth to take control of the division with a 3-2 win. Three walks in the first, coupled with a pair of fielder’s choice plays gave the South Zone champions a 1-0 lead. Brownsville made it 2-0 in the top of the fifth, getting a two-out double from Jorge Garza and Ruben Lopez’ RBI single. Back-to-back walks and a Chase Williamson single ended the day for Brownsville starter Jai Arenas. Aaron Smearman smacked reliever Miah Vela’s first pitch into left, tying the game. One out later, Aaron Bowers struck out but a passed ball allowed him to reach first. A grounder by Lucas Oleksa that should have ended the inning plated the go-ahead run. Williamson started and got the win for Johnstown, going five inning and allowing four hits while surviving six walks. Adam Radkowski did not allow a hit over the final two innings to earn a save. Johnstown now sits one win away from a berth in the World Series championship game.
Back-to-back pitching gems closed the action Sunday night.
Jonah Williamson and Cameron Dames combined on a two-hitter, leading Washington County to a 3-0 win over Bay County, MI. The Hosts plated a pair of runs in the third, one scoring on Williamson’s base hit, another on a passed ball. Washington County added another unearned run in the fourth, using a walk, a base hit, an outfield error and a fielder’s choice to lead 3-0. Williamson started and dominated, holding the North Zone champs to two singles until running into two-out trouble in the sixth, thanks to two walks. Dames came on, coaxed a grounder to short that was misplayed but the runner from first rounded second and was tagged out to end the threat. Dames worked a clean seventh to earn a save. Six different Washington County players had base hits in the win, staving off elimination. The locals will take on Bayamon, PR Monday afternoon (12:30 pm).
Youngstown’s Mason Petridis tossed a complete game one-hitter, shutting down Bayamon, PR, and moving to Monday night’s division final. The Host Area runner-up took a 1-0 lead in the first on Jackson Cheeks’ sacrifice fly. Hunter Garvin continued his hot hitting, crushing a two-run home run in the third. Youngstown made it 4-0 later in the inning as Jake Rynd lofted a sac fly to score Dom Cubellis after his one-out triple to left-center. Bayamon’s only run came in the fourth. Eliel Ramos led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, third on a ground out and scored on another Petridis wild offering. That was the only wildness shown all night by the right-hander who allowed just one run, one hit and one walk while striking out nine Bayamon batters. The Caribbean champions now face Washington County to stay alive. Meanwhile, Youngtown, like Johnstown, needs one more win to reach the World Series title game.