|
Lake Jackson American forces decisive game
Published July 4, 2009
SUGAR LAND — The Lake Jackson American 11- and 12-year-old All-Stars used a blend of good pitching and an opportunistic offense to stay alive at the Area 2 tournament.
Lake Jackson American took advantage of every scoring opportunity, then thwarted a frantic last-inning Lamar National comeback to take a thrilling 5-4 victory at The Club at New Territory.
With both teams saddled with one defeat, they will square off one more time to decide the area championship at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Four times Lake Jackson American got its leadoff batter on base, and every time they came around to score. Three times Travis Simmons, who was 2-for-2 with two walks, led off an inning by reaching base.
But it was an unlikely run that came with two out in the top of the sixth that proved to be the difference in the game.
Dalton Fox beat out a slow roller to third and Chilli Cortez worked a walk. After Lamar National went to reliever Jason Strothers, Bodie Windsor walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Simmons stepped up big once again, this time drawing a walk on four pitches to force in Fox and putting Lake Jackson American up 5-2.
Fox, who came on in relief of Lake Jackson American starter Caleb James to snuff out a Lamar National rally in the fifth, was shell-shocked when errors allowed the first three Lamar National batters to reach, loading the bases.
With one out, Jackson Schindler ripped a two-run double to the fence in center, trimming Lake Jackson American’s lead to 5-4. Fox struck out Garrett Gray for the second out and manager John Gonsalves decided to intentionally walk the clean-up hitter, Brady Burns, to load the bases.
That brought up Kevin Kopps, who lined the second Fox offering to Simmons at shortstop to end the game.
For 4 2/3 innings, Lamar National could do nothing with Lake Jackson American starter James. He struck out nine and allowed just three hits before tiring in the fifth when Lamar National finally cracked the scoreboard on an error and an RBI single by Burns.
But Lamar National, who outscored its first two opponents by a combined 21-4 margin, stranded 10 base runners, leaving the bases loaded twice.
Lake Jackson American scored in the first when Simmons and Blake Nelson (2-for-4) singled and Aaron MacIntyre, the pitching hero in a 5-1 win over West Sugar Land on Thursday, singled, easily scoring Simmons.
The lead grew to 2-0 in the third. Simmons led off with a double to the fence in left center and eventually scored on a James’ grounder to second.
The third Lake Jackson American run came in the fourth. Bryce Wade walked, Fox was hit by a pitch and an errant pickoff throw to third allowed Wade to score.
The Lake Jackson Americans made it 4-0 in the fifth as Simmons led off with a walk, Nelson singled to right and the fleet-footed Simmons scored on a wild pitch.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
|
|
 |
|
FREE BAY BOAT WITH WATERFRONT PURCHASE Get
...
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
