Puerto Rico wins seesaw battle with Hagerstown
Puerto Rico celebrates a win against Hagerstown in the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays pony field in Washington on Friday, August 9, 2019.
ponyworld
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Puerto Rico celebrates after Joel Core hit a home run against Hagerstown in the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington Friday.
Hagerstown’s Oqtevious Drummond makes the tag on Puerto Rico’s Samual Cruz at 2nd in the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays pony field in Washington on Friday, August 9, 2019.
Puerto Rico’s Victor Cepero makes the tag on Hagerstown’s Jake McAllister in the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays pony field in Washington on Friday, August 9, 2019.
Puerto Rico’s Jhenzel Figueroa scores against Hagerstown in the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays pony field in Washington on Friday, August 9, 2019.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico’s first Pony League World Series game at Lew Hays Field was such a roller coaster, that it might as well have been played at Kennywood Park.
In the end, Arecibo came out on top over Hagerstown, Md., 11-9, winning a wild contest that featured four lead changes, three of which happened over the third and fourth innings.
“We’ve got a good group of kids,” Hagerstown head coach Dave Barr said. “You saw it here today, they play for 21 outs. There will be no letdown from this squad. They’ll come out, and they’ll play hard again for another 21 outs. I have no (concerns) that they won’t come out to give everything they have.”
The fourth inning was particularly wild. Hagerstown scored six runs to build a four-run lead, and Arecibo came off the ropes in its half of the inning with five runs, culminating in a two-run double by Samuel Cruz.
The newcomers drew first blood, scoring their first run in their first World Series at bat, and doing so in rather unconventional fashion.
On an 0-2 offering, a wild pitch by Jake McAllister brought home Jhenzel Figueroa, the first of three times Figueroa would cross the plate in the game. It would remain 1-0 until the top of the third.
With the bases loaded and one out, Hagerstown’s Jacob Hill cleared the bases with a double, turning a one-run deficit into a two-run lead. It was the start of a big night for Hill, who finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. He ended the game as Hagerstown’s only starter with more than one hit.
Arecibo would get momentum back in the bottom half of the third. First, Figueroa crossed the plate for the second time in three innings on an RBI double by Adrian Salas to make it 3-2. Then, Puerto Rico’s starting pitcher, Joaniel Santos avenged his rough inning on the mound with a two-run home run to put Puerto Rico back ahead. Two batters later, Joel Core got in on the fun with a solo shot to double the lead.
Santos’ heroics at the plate didn’t translate to the mound in the next half inning. What transpired were six runs and 11 men sent to the plate for Hagerstown.
After a walk and two hits loaded the bases, Santos hit Coleman Bragunier for the second time on the night to force in a run. One batter later, leadoff man Dylan Shoemaker put Hagerstown back in front with a two-run single. That would be the last batter Santos would face. He finished the outing allowing eight runs, all earned, on six hits, walking one, striking out five and hitting three batsmen. Santos made up for his outing, however, at the plate. He went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI.
Still in the third, Hagerstown would add to its lead against left-handed reliever Jermery Rivera on a sacrifice fly by McCallister, which scored courtesy runner Cyncere Kelley to make it 7-5. Hagerstown added more insurance when Hill came through again, driving in his fourth run of the evening with a single.
Barr knew what Arecibo’s offensive capabilities were. In its last four games prior to the tournament, Arecibo had scored 41 runs, more than 10 a night. So what ended up taking place in the bottom of the fourth didn’t come as a surprise to Barr.
“They hit the ball extremely well,” he said. “Our defense was not bad, and you have to give them credit. When you’re driving in runs on base hits opposed to teams making errors, you have to give them credit.”
After two runs came in to make it 9-7, Salas drove home FIguroa to make it 9-8. One batter later, Cruz put his team back in front with a two-run double.
After the fourth, the waters tamed. Arecibo added insurance in the bottom of the fifth when Dereck J. Trinidad drew an RBI walk to make it 11-9. On the mound, Arocho held Hagerstown at bay, allowing no runs on one hit, walking three and striking out six over 3.2 innings of relief. Most importantly, Arocho was on the mound for the last out of Aercibo’s first Pony League World Series win.
Hagerstown never found its rhythm on the mound. McAllister only lasted one inning, and four relief pitchers combined to allow 10 runs for the next five.
The PLWS rookies will take on one of its giants tomorrow afternoon, as Arecibo will play nine-time champion Chinese Taipei at 5:30. Hagerstown isn’t done in this double-elimination tournament. It will face the loser of the Youngstown, Ohio and Gusave, Mexico, on Sunday.
Notes
Before games began Friday night, the annual home run derby and fastest runner competitions were held earlier in the day. Ben Slanker, who plays for Youngstown, Ohio, won the home run derby. Washington County’s Max Dotson was the runner-up. Chinese Taipei won the derby’s team competition. The fastest baserunner was Tony Villarreal of Brownsville, Texas. … Three games will be played today, including a pair that will be televised on AT&T SportsNet. Brownsville, Texas will play Bay County, Mich., at noon. Washington County will then play London at 2:30 p.m. Both games will be televised. The final game of the day, Arecibo, Puerto Rico against Chinese Taipei, is scheduled for 5 p.m.