EATON — On an exceedingly hot Saturday, the Washington C.H. 10-year-old all-stars’ District 8 championship game starting time was moved up to 10 a.m.
A brief semi-respite from the heat came as clouds blanketed the sky over Eaton for an inning or so. After that, the blue sky returned and the sun bore down with renewed intensity.
Despite the conditions, the Washington C.H. all-stars rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth to post a 12-11 victory.
The State-bound all-stars will begin tournament play at Ashtabula Saturday, July 27.
Eaton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, taking advantage of three walks and four wild pitches.
Washington went out in order in the bottom of the first on three pop flies.
In the top of the second, with one out, Eaton’s second batter hit a single. He soon stole second, but the next batter hit a liner to Carter Davidson at shortstop. He was able to beat the base-runner back to the base for the unassisted double play.
The second was a scoreless inning for both teams.
Eaton went out in order in the top of the third when Washington’s catcher, Quinton Marine, threw down to Davidson covering at second base to throw out a would-be base-stealer.
The bottom of the third was the breakout frame for Washington.
Kiontae Tyree walked, stole second and scored on two Eaton errors.
Liam Alsop walked and stole second and Marine followed with a single.
Marine went to second on a wild pitch and Sam Pfeifer hit a single, driving in Alsop and Marine to give Washington a 3-2 lead.
Davidson walked and stole second and Berry singled, scoring Davidson.
Nathaniel Brown singled and Kolton Pennington singled, scoring Berry and Brown for a 6-2 Washington lead.
Tyree walked again, but the next batter was retired, leaving the score at 6-2 after three complete.
Eaton had four hits in the fourth. Along with three Washington wild pitches and two hit batsmen, Eaton scored three to make it a 6-5 ball game.
Despite a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch, Washington did not score in the fourth.
Eaton scored twice in the fifth to go in front, 7-6.
Washington rallied in the fifth to recapture the lead.
Hayden Cornell and Brown walked and a walk to Corbin Evans loaded the bases with no outs.
After a change of pitchers for Eaton, Tyree walked, scoring Cornell.
A wild pitch scored Brown to give Washington an 8-7 lead.
Jacob Hays walked to load the bases.
With one out, Pfeifer hit a two-run double, scoring Evans and Tyree to put Washington in front, 10-7 lead.
The next two batters were retired.
Eaton displayed their no-quit attitude in the top of the sixth.
The home team had a single, two batters reaching on errors and a double to tie the game, 10-10.
Another wild pitch gave Eaton an 11-10 lead.
Not wanting to have to return to Eaton for a second game on Sunday, Washington got busy in the bottom of the sixth.
Cornell walked and Brown reached on an error.
Another error allowed Cornell to score and Brown soon scored to give Washington a 12-11 victory.
The Washington C.H. 10-year-old all-stars went 4-0 to win the 2019 District 8 championship.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Washington manager Matt Pfeifer said. “Especially since this is the first year all of these kids, including myself, have gotten to experience this. Ashtabula (situated on the shores of Lake Erie over 50 miles northeast of Cleveland) is pretty far, but this is exciting.
“All-in-all, the boys did well,” Pfeifer said. “We had a little hiccup a few times on the bases, which, we could have gotten those runs. But, we got them at the end. The pitching is what’s important at this level.”
Washington defeated Eaton twice in the tournament, including 13-10 in the first meeting on Tuesday, July 16.
“They are by far the best team we played in the District,” Pfeifer said. “I’m not sure how they even had any pitching left after their road.
“I want to thank all of the parents who came, took the hour-and-a-half drive,” Pfeifer said. “I want to thank all of the coaches (Ken Berry, Todd Cornell and B.J. Marine).”
Washington used three pitchers in the game. Sam Pfeifer, Carter Davidson and Hayden Cornell combined for 10 hits, 11 runs, five walks, five strikeouts and two hit batsmen.
Offensively for Washington C.H. 10-year-old all-stars: Quinton Marine, 1-3, bb, 1 run; Sam Pfeifer, 2-4, 2b, 4 rbi; Carter Davidson, 0-2, bb, sb, hbp, 1 run; Kenton Berry, 1-4, 1 rbi, 1 run; Hayden Cornell, 0-1, 2 bb, 2 runs, sb; Nathaniel Brown, 1-2, 3 runs, bb, roe; James Bunch, 0-1; Kiontae Tyree, 0-0, 3 bb, 2 runs, sb, 1 rbi; Liam Alsop, 0-0, bb, sb, 1 run; Kolton Pennington, 1-1, 2 rbi; Matthew Jones, 0-1; Corbin Evans, 0-0, bb, 1 run; Jacob Hays, 0-0, bb.
RHE
E 200 324 — 11 10 5
W 006 042 — 12 6 3
