Persistent rain during the day Monday led PONY officials to postpone the Division Finals to Tuesday afternoon.
In the opener, Brownsville, TX forced an “If Necessary” game with a 2-1 win over previously-unbeaten Johnstown, PA. Javier Garcia held the Host Area champions to one unearned run over six innings to get the win. Itziel Gonzalez doubled in one run in the fourth, Alexis Lopez sprinted home on a wild pitch in the fifth, giving the South Zone squad a 2-0 lead. Johnstown put two on with no outs in the fifth and sixth innings but managed just one run out of those chances. Ben Kormanski grounded out in the sixth, plating Anthony Grippo with Johnstown’s only run of the game. The two squads will play a five-inning game to decide a spot in the World Series championship game at 8 o’clock.
Youngstown, OH scored four times in the first inning, rolling past Washington County, 11-0, in five innings. Hunter Garvin’s two-run single opened the scoring, part of a big night for the Host Area runner-up’s starting pitcher. He picked up the win, holding the Hosts to two hits and no runs over four innings while driving in four runs with a single and a double. Carter Wilson, Quinn Meola and Jake Rynd also drove in runs, helping Youngstown return to the finals for the first time since losing to Washington in 1955. The local squad had two runners on base in three of the five innings but couldn’t cash in against Garvin. Cameron Dames finished the series as the leading hitter for Washington County, receiving the John D. Voytek Memorial Award.
Brownsville completed the sweep against Johnstown, downing the Host Area champions, 6-2, in the five-inning ‘if necessary’ game. The South Zone champions scored twice in the third, using an RBI single from winning pitcher Ruben Lopez plus a Christopher Ramos sacrifice fly. Johnstown tied the game in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back doubles by Chase Williamson and Aaron Smearman but the latter made a wide turn at second and was tagged out, quashing the rally. Miah Vela doubled to open the fourth and scored on two straight flyball outs to right. Jorge Garza doubled in a run and later scored on Nehemiah Garcia’s two-run single. Johnstown had just one baserunner over the final two innings. Brownsville reaches the World Series championship game for the first time ever. Johnstown was stopped short in their bid for the same prize.