5 strikeouts in inning highlight Hagerstown win
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Bay County’s Ben Briggs arrives safely at third base ahead of the tag from Hagerstown third baseman Landon Trumpower in the first inning of the opening game of the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Field. Hagerstown held on for a 6-5 victory.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Players from Bay County, Mich., welcome home Benjamin Briggs, who scored the first run in the opening game of the Pony League World Series on Friday at Lew Hays Field. Hagerstown, Md., edged Bay County, 6-5.
Stick around baseball long enough, the saying goes, and you will see things you never have seen before.
That could not have been more true Friday evening at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington Park.
It happened in the fourth inning of Hagerstown’s 6-5 victory over Bay County, Mich., in the opening game of the Pony League World Series.
That was when Hagerstown struck out five times in the inning and scored what would be the winning run in the game.
“I don’t know of it ever happening, but this is baseball so anything is possible,” said Hagerstown manager Steve Berger. “I was confident we would win the game if our pitchers threw strikes.”
Not take them.
You can find a ton of statistics in the Pony League World Series media guide, from home runs to RBI to strikeouts, in a game. But nowhere will you find strikeouts in an inning.
That’s probably because the list would be pages long at three. None of the PONY officials in the press box could remember a time when a pitcher even struck out four.
“It was super strange,” said Bay County manager Craig Revette. “I believed that ended up being the sixth run for them. We struck out five batters batters and gave up a run. You can’t do that and expect to win the game. I don’t think I ever saw that happen.”
Holding a 5-2 lead in the fourth when the strikeout-fest occurred. Julius Rowe, Hagerstown’s leadoff hitter. started it off by striking out and having the pitch get away from Bay County catcher Jack Wetters. Rowe would steal second base and third and scored on another wild pitch. Ben Sattazahn and Brooks Norris struck out the old fashioned way. Cooper Starkey swung at a third strike and the ball got away from Wetters again, allowing Rowe to score.
Bay County opened a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of some early game nerves by Hagerstown.
“I thought we were going to come out and play well.” Revette said. “It just kind of went sideways a couple innings. We played well most of the time.”
Jackson Coulter struck out 11 and was replaced by Norris with two outs in the fifth inning after reaching his pitch limit.
Sattazahn went 2-for-4 and scored twice and Rylan Swartz knocked in two runs.
Bay County’s Ben Briggs opened the game with a single to right and moved to third on a stolen base and passed ball. Briggs came home when Drew Goik lined a single to center field.
Hagerstown took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning, thanks to a Rylan Swartz single that scored Ben Sattazahn and Brooks Norris, both of whom singled.
Bay County tied it, 2-2, in the second inning. Aiden Richard walked and went to second when Cooper Starkey couldn’t handle a fly ball that went for an error. He scored on a single by Aiden Revette.
Hagerstown advances to play at 6 p.m. Saturday. Bay County plays in an elimination game 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Notes
Before the first game of the series, Pony has two contests: the fastest baserunner and the home run derby. L.J. Zidek of Washington County won fastest player, going from home to home in 13.85 seconds. Charlie Manzi of Johnstown won the home run derby. Johnstown won the team championship in the home run derby. … Washington County makes it debut today at 3:30 p.m. against London. … The opening night’s second game, matching Chinese Taipei and Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, ended to late to be included in this edition.