The online webcast of the Colt World Series experienced
technical difficulties and listeners back home were unable to keep
track of the Morgan Hill Colt Division All-Star’s semifinal game
Tuesday against Tampa, Fla., until the top of the fourth
inning.
The online webcast of the Colt World Series experienced technical difficulties and listeners back home were unable to keep track of the Morgan Hill Colt Division All-Star’s semifinal game Tuesday against Tampa, Fla., until the top of the fourth inning.
Once the webcast finally became available, the good news was announced that Morgan Hill had jumped out to a 4-0 lead against the three-time defending champions.
But almost immediately, the team began experiencing some technical difficulties of its own, allowing five runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to watch its world championship dreams come crashing down in a 10-6 loss.
“Those first three innings were great,” assistant coach Mark Cummins said. “We had all the momentum we thought but we just didn’t get out of that fourth inning.”
The win moved Tampa into the championship game, where it beat Greensboro, N.C., to win its fourth straight World Series championship.
Morgan Hill, which came into medal round play with more runs scored (33) than any other team, struck early with a run in the first.
Billy Hill (Sobrato) drew a leadoff walk and attempted to steal second. Tampa pitcher Anthony Ferrara fired a pickoff throw to first, but the ensuing throw to second to try to get Hill sailed into left field and Hill moved up to third and scored when Matt Cummins (Live Oak) grounded out.
Morgan Hill scored three more in the third to take its 4-0 lead, but it would be short-lived.
Cummins, who was also on the mound for Morgan Hill, ran into trouble in the top of the fourth. Tampa loaded the bases with one out and Austin Hartzler drove in the first run with an RBI single.
Ferrara closed the gap to 4-3 with a two-run double and after a walk to Matt Fest, Morgan Hill caught a break. Derek Heiser failed to put down a suicide squeeze bunt and Hartzler was tagged out at home.
But Heiser redeemed himself by delivering a two-run single to give Tampa its first lead at 5-4 and it wouldn’t trail the rest of the way.
Tampa scored three more times off Cummins before he was removed with two outs in the top of the fifth. James Johnson entered and immediately balked home a run before getting the final batter to fly out to end the inning with Tampa leading 9-4.
Morgan Hill went down in order in the fifth and Tampa scored a run in its half of the sixth to extend the lead to 10-4 before the local team made some noise.
Christian Lam (Valley Christian) led off with a walk and Charlie McClung (Monte Vista Christian) was hit by a pitch. Adam Hill (Valley Christian) dropped down a bunt and reached first when McClung was forced out at second.
Danny Nelson (Sobrato) drove in Lam with a sacrifice fly to make it 10-5 but the inning ended when Hill was thrown out in his attempt to get back to first base after the catch was made.
Jon Hughes (Valley Christian) pitched a strong seventh inning, setting Tampa down in order and Morgan Hill attempted to rally in its last at-bat.
Billy Hill led off with a single and after Cummins and Hughes were retired, Ryan Evanger (Gilroy) delivered an RBI single. Kevin Grove (Gilroy) followed with a walk and Lam reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Alika Bantilan entered the game as a pinch-hitter representing the tying run, but struck out to end the game and the season for Morgan Hill.
“It was tough mentally,” coach Cummins said of the loss. “This team throughout their years has always been a group that’s been able to come back. It was tough to see (Tampa rally). We knew if we didn’t get it done this time it was over.”
While the team came up short of its ultimate goal, Coach Cummins said the World Series was a once in a lifetime experience for the players.
“We’re proud of our kids, they played great,” Cummins said. “We got nothing but compliments from the people in Lafayette. Even the host families were shedding a tear as the kids were leaving. It was an experience of a lifetime.”
Notes: Evanger and Cummins were honored for finishing the tournament with the second- and third-highest batting averages respectively. Evanger went 9-for-14, while Cummins was 9-for-17 to record the third highest average.
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