Better effort, but it’s not enough for Washington Co.
Washington County’s Michael Parrish, center, reacts to teammate Kaden Kolson’s home run against Bay County, Mich., in an elimination game of the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington Sunday.
Washington County’s Austin Able throws to first base for an out in the Pony League World Series Sunday.
Once the team from Washington County relaxed, took a deep breath and began to play without the tightness that was evident in the previous game, the talent began to show.
The problem was it happened too late in Sunday afternoon’s game in the Pony League World Series.
Washington County stumbled and bumbled through the second inning, giving up six runs Bay County, Mich., used on the way to a 12-5 victory.
The loss eliminated Washington County from the series and left the host team without a victory since a 17-4 win over Brno of the Czech Republic in the first game of the 2014 world series.
“I told our kids it’s 0-0 in the first inning and we get to come out and play baseball again,” said Washington County manager Connor Semple. “It’s a new day and always a chance to play a new game.”
Washington County finally showed the form that produced 18 wins in a 19-game tournament series leading up to the last two games. The team matched Bay County run for run over the final five innings.
“The biggest thing is is taking the pressure off. Once we did that, it was the team that went 18-1 we brought to the world series,” said Semple. “It came a little late and we played a little sloppy. But take away that second inning and the game is tied.”
The devastating inning for Washington County was that second. Bay County pushed across six runs, the first four without a hit. As it did against Padeborn, Germany, in the opener, Washington County proved to be its own worst enemy, committing three errors and putting two runners on via walks. One run scored on a wild pitch and three others on the errors. Anthony Bernard was the seventh batter and got the first hit of the inning, a two-run home run to left field that made it 7-0. Bay County sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning.
Bay County lost a heartbreaker to Laredo, Texas, in the opener but manager Larry Kwapiszewski felt his team played well enough to win.
“Obviously, I would have liked to finish the game early (with the 10-run Mercy Rule), but we got all our guys in and that was a good thing,” he said. “I’m happy about that. Every coach’s dream is to get a big lead early and let the kids relax a little bit.”
Bay County will play Paderborn, Germany, in an elimination game at 8 p.m., Monday.
Washington County was no-hit by Paderborn in a five-inning game Saturday afternoon, but that hitless streak ended in spectacular fashion when Kaden Kolson crushed a hanging curveball outside the strike zone and drove it over the right-field fence for a home run with two outs in the third inning.
“We were in a pressure situation of getting a hit and (Kolson) delivered with a home run,” said Semple. “I think (after the home run), they took a deep breath and said we can still do this.”
Washington County’s best inning in the two-game stay was the fourth, when two runs scored on four hits. More important, that inning took Bay County out the Mercy Rule and cut the lead to 11-3. Talon Cain drove in one run with a double to the left field corner of Lew Hays Pony Field and Jax Banco knocked in a run when he hit what could be called a “swinging bunt” that sent the ball just up the line and scored Cooper Sharp, who got on by a walk.
Dalton Bedillion, who was named team MVP, went 2-for-3, and Noah Abt went 1-for-2 with an RBI and run.
“These players were on a very big stage and most people put them on a pedestal because they are the host team,” said Semple. “That just adds pressure to the team. This team was talented. They beat some very good teams that lost in the regional and I think they finally realized, ‘Hey, we’re just playing baseball.'”