Saturday, July 14, 2007 1:10 AM CDT
Mattoon keeps rolling at Cal Ripken state
By RICK DAWSON Staff Writer
rdawson@jg-tc.com
MATTOON -- Given enough chances, Mattoon's 12-year-old Cal Ripken team finally capitalized Friday.
Dustin Temple tied the game with an RBI single and Cody Brush and Jacob Daily followed with two more as the home team continued to move through the winner's bracket of the state tournament with a 4-2 triumph against Homewood. Mattoon faces Galesburg American at 10 a.m. today at Graham Field in Lawson Park. Brush's single with the bases loaded in the fifth proved to be the game-winner, as Nolan Walsh gave up a double to Nick Relli leading off the sixth but retired the next three batters in order, two on strikeouts.
"The game plan was to platoon two or three guys this game," Mattoon coach Bob Brush said. "We've got about seven or eight guys that throw the ball well off the mound. And (Walsh) being able to finish the game off, that's great for us."
Walsh entered in the top of the third with runners on first and second and none out. He walked cleanup hitter Elon Chamberlain to load the bases and two runs scored when Ken Nye singled and Luke Michalik was issued another walk.
But he sailed through the rest of the inning -- Homewood didn't manage to get the ball out of the infield on three at-bats -- and took control after that. When Homewood was able to put runners on second and third in the fifth, he recorded a strikeout on a full count.
"During the course of the first five innings we left, I think, 12 guys on base," Homewood coach Doug Behm said. "We couldn't get the big hit."
Cody Brush drove in Mattoon's first run, lacing a two-out double to right-center in the first that scored Temple. Temple reached on an error.
Mattoon, 2-0, struggled to get to Relli early in the game -- Ian Snowden's double to lead off the second was its only hit until Temple's single in the fifth. After a routine first-round win on Thursday, it's bound to be struggle now.
"That's what we told the kids, that (for) every game we win, every game's going to get tougher and tougher," Brush said. "We had some key hits and got out of some tough situations defensively unscathed. It could have been ugly."
It wasn't over for Homewood yet, which was facing Charleston in an elimination game late Friday night. Charleston led 7-2 in the fifth at press deadlines.
"No it's not, but it sure makes it a lot more difficult when you go through the loser's bracket," Behm said.
- During a plaque presentation by Babe Ruth commissioner Mark Watkins honoring Mattoon for 50 years of baseball, it was announced that two Ohio Valley regional tournaments are coming to Mattoon.
In 2008, Lawson Park is to play host to the Cal Ripken 12-year-old tourney, and in 2009 the Babe Ruth 15s are to play at Grimes Field in Peterson Park.
The regional tourneys pool 10 teams from seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Mattoon 4, Homewood 2
Homewood 002 000 - 2-7-4
Mattoon 100 03x - 4-5-1
Winning pitcher: Nolan Walsh 4 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts; Starter: Mitch Hirsch 2 innings, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 4 walks, 1 strikeout Homewood pitchers: Nick Relli, Kyle Leehaug
HOMEWOOD: Ken Nye 2-for-3, RBI; Relli 1-for-3, double; Leehaugh 1-for-2; Craig Quick 1-for-3; Kevin Jostes 1-for-4; Jake Ruffolo 1-for-4; Luke Michalik 0-for-2, RBI
MATTOON: Cody Brush 2-for-3, double, 2 RBIs; Ian Snowden 1-for-2, double; Dustin Temple 1-for-3, RBI; Jacob Daily 1-for-3, RBI
Friday's late game
Charleston 11, Homewood 2
Today
Charleston vs. Galesburg National, noon
Galesburg American 11, Marshall 0
Luke Ryan had two hits, including a bases-loaded double in the fourth when Galesburg erupted for nine runs.
Half of the team's six hits in the inning were doubles. After D.J. Orozco was hit by a pitch, Chad Johnson and Austin Gernant each followed with one.
Gernant allowed just one hit, a leadoff single to Cray Bloodworth in the bottom of the first, before retiring 12 of the last 14 batters he faced.
Galesburg, which faces Mattoon today, moved to 2-0 in the tourney. Marshall fell to 1-1 after the loss.
Galesburg 101 9 - 11-11-2
Marshall 000 0 0-1-3
Winning pitcher: Austin Gernant 4 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks, 1 strikeout Marshall pitchers: Rogers, Berner, Osborn
GALESBURG: Luke Ryan 2-for-3, double; Lattreal Thompson 2-for-3, 2 runs; Tyler Brackett 1-for-1, 2 runs; Chad Johnson 1-for-2, double; Drew Nall 1-for-2, sac; Colten Crain 1-for-2; Gernant 1-for-3, double; Matthew Lansing 1-for-3; Austin Harris 1-for-4
MARSHALL: Cray Bloodworth 1-for-2
Galesburg National 7, Marshall 4
Galesburg eliminated Marshall by making the most of its scoring opportunities. Five of its seven base-runners scored in the fifth inning, while Marshall left 12 stranded for the game.
Will Anderson and Jacob Hannam had two hits apiece for Galesburg, which faces the winner of Friday's late game between Charleston and Homewood at noon today.
Marshall, which lost for the second time in the double-elimination tourney, was led by Walker Berner with three hits.
Galesburg 100 510 - 7-7-2
Marshall 210 010 - 4-11-0
Winning pitcher: Carson Cheesman 2 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 0 strikeouts; Others: Jacob Hannam, Riley VanVelsor Marshall pitchers: Keith Rogers, Austin Osborn, Walker Berner
GALESBURG: Will Anderson 2-for-2, double, 2 runs; Hannam 2-for-4; VanVelsor 1-for-3, double; Andrew Grindle 1-for-2; Travon Diggins 1-for-3
MARSHALL: Berner 3-for-3; Rogers 2-for-4; Osborn 2-for-4; Jake Beard 2-for-4; Brock Hook 1-for-4; Kendall Bombard 1-for-2
Contact Rick Dawson at rdawson@jg-tc.com or 238-6855.
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