Another wild day for Covina
Kelli Alderson/For the Observer-Reporter
Nathan Arellano is congratulated by teammates after hitting a three-run home run in Monday’s action of the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington Park. Covina won 15-5 in five innings.
Kelli Alderson/For the Observer-Reporter
Covina catcher Omar Arretche celebrates a win over Palmview, Texas, in Monday’s action of the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Field in Washington Park. Covina won 15-5 in five innings.
Kelli Alderson/For the Observer-Reporter
Roman Spencer of Covina gives a muscle flex after hitting a double in Monday’s action of the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Field in Washington Park. Covina defeated Palmville, Texas, 15-5 in five innings.
Kelli Alderson/For the Observer-Reporter
Levi Locke of Manchester, N.H. prepares to release a pitch in Monday’s action of the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Field in Washington Park. Manchester won the game against Managua, Nicaragua, 11-1, in five innings.
Kelli Alderson/For the Observer-Reporter
Manchester’s Chase Crowell is tagged out by Managua, Nicaragua catcher Geral Aguire in Monday’s action of the Pony League World Series at Lew Hays Field in Washington Park. Manchester won 11-1 in five innings.
Maybe no other team in the Pony League World Series has had as many up-and-down games than Covina, Calif.
Covina opened the series, played at Lew Hays Field in Washington Park, by falling behind Youngstown, Ohio, 7-0. Covina, the West Zone Champion, rallied but lost an 8-6 decision.
Bay County, Mich., was next and Covina had a 9-0 lead in the sixth inning. Covina held on for a 9-8 victory.
On a cloudy Monday morning, Covina fell behind 4-0 after just one inning but erupted for 15 runs in a 15-5 five-inning rout of Palmview, Texas, the South Zone Champion, in an elimination game.
The win advances Covina to another elimination game, today at 10 a.m.
Palmview, Texas, was ousted from the double-elimination tournament.
“Honestly, I was worried down 4-0,” said Covina manager Jesse Chavez. “I was hoping Aiden Vieth was going to come around and find his spots. He continued to struggle but I left him out there. He didn’t do too bad after that first inning.”
Vieth was pulled after two innings in which he gave up five runs, four earned.
But Chavez’s patience ran out after that and he called for Nathan Arellano, who threw three scoreless innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.
Arellano was tremendous at the plate. He went 2-for-2, hit a three-run home run, ended up driving in five runs and scoring twice.
“He’s the MVP of the game,” Chavez said. “He played very well.”
“It’s been a few weeks since I had that many RBIs,” Arellano said. “To be honest, I think our first inning brought us up. We hit the ball together, as brothers.”
Second baseman Roman Spencer went 3-for-3 with three runs and Vieth was 3-for-4 with four runs and two RBI. Shortstop Joaquin Ortiz went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI.
Manchester, 11-1
A seven-run first inning paved the way for Manchester, N.H., to an 11-1, five-inning victory over Managua, Nicaraguain an elimination game Monday afternoon.
The seven-run inning was part of a 12-hit attack that produced the second win over Managua, the Caribbean Zone Champion. In the first meeting, Manchester came away with a 4-1 victory.
“When you play a team for the second time and you won the first one, you have to work hard to keep these guys focused,” said Manchester manager Mike Lecuyer. “You can get complacent because we already beat them. We didn’t want to let our guard down.”
Once Manchester, the East Zone Champion, got the seven runs in the first inning, and held Managua to just one run, it was only a matter of time before they won the game via the 10-run rule after five innings.
Jase Labore cracked a home run on the first pitch of the fifth inning to extend Manchester’s lead to 10-1. Levi Locke singled to center field to score Owen Hazelbaker with the game-ending run.
“These guys warmed up and were ready to go,” Lecuyer said. “Your saw it on the field. Defense, hitting, pitching. Everyone showed up for this game.”
The seven-run first inning set the tone for the rest of the game, Lecuyer said.
“That’s what we wanted to do,” he said. “We wanted to come out strong and execute our game plan. That’s why we go home with a victory.”
Joshua Ortiz went 2-for-2 and scored the only run for Managua. Osan Chavez had two hits. Chavez and Ortiz accounted for four of the team’s five hits.