CAMPBELL
– The Morgan Hill Pony 13 team is heading to the U.S. Zone
Championships after defeating Campbell in the Section final. The
Zone championships will be held in Fullerton July 26-30.
CAMPBELL – The Morgan Hill Pony 13 team is heading to the U.S. Zone Championships after defeating Campbell in the Section final. The Zone championships will be held in Fullerton July 26-30.
Morgan Hill came from behind to defeat the host Campbell team 10-3 at John D. Morgan Park. Morgan Hill has won all eight of its Sectional and Regional games, outscoring their competition 77-18.
Known for its outstanding defense and pitching, Morgan Hill has committed less than two errors per game, with a team ERA of 0.79. Morgan Hill will play Riverside on Saturday, July 26 at noon at Amerige Park in Fullerton.
Although Morgan Hill had three days of rest coming into the game, and the Campbell squad advanced through the loser’s bracket, Morgan Hill started off slow
In the first inning, Campbell’s first two hitters reached base on walks, and after Morgan Hill starting pitcher Adam Perez struck out the third hitter, Campbell scored the first run on a squeeze play.
Campbell’s next hitter blasted a long double to plate the second run. A sharp line drive to center field looked like it would keep the rally going, but Kevin Grove fired a strike to catcher James Johnson at home for the third out.
Campbell’s starting pitcher stifled the Morgan Hill bats over the first three innings, as the defense induced a double play as well as throwing out a Morgan Hill base runner stealing third base.
Perez was in control as well, as in the second and third innings, he struck out two hitters and had help from second baseman Jonathan Hughes who recorded the third out in each inning.
Catcher Johnson picked off the lead runner in the third inning who had strayed too far off first base, and Ryan Evanger applied the tag. With Campbell up 2-0, Matt Cummins came on to pitch for Morgan Hill.
The first Campbell hitter had a base hit, which would prove to be the only hit Cummins would allow.
After a two-strike sacrifice bunt, Campbell’s next hitter reached on an error, but Grove came through again, as he threw out his second runner from right field, attempting to score on the miscue. After a walk, Campbell plated its third run on a delayed steal, and the score stood at 3-0, going to the bottom of the fourth inning.
Morgan Hill started playing its brand of aggressive baseball, beginning with a walk and stolen base from sparkplug shortstop Billy Hill. Cummins helped his own cause by driving a double to the right-center fence, scoring Hill.
Perez followed with a single, and while Perez was stealing second, Cummins scored on the catcher’s throwing error. Grove tied the score with a line drive base hit to center.
Still with no outs in the inning, Vince Hatakayema hustled to first base on a dropped third strike and then stole second.
Campbell finally recorded an out, but not before Morgan Hill tied the score at 3-3. Hughes gave Morgan Hill the lead for good with a two-RBI single. Evanger followed with another base hit, and Robert Barsanti continued his torrid hitting with an RBI single.
Hill came up for the second time in the inning and singled to load the bases.
Campbell then went to their ace pitcher, who came in and couldn’t throw strikes, walking Cummins and Perez to plate two more runs to extend Morgan Hill’s lead to 8-3.
Grove had his second hit of the inning, scoring Hill before Campbell ended the inning on a double play. With the game firmly in control, Cummins and his defense retired the side in order in the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Morgan Hill scored a run as Evanger drove in Danny Nelson, who had walked and stole second. Cummins went on to pitch a scoreless sixth inning, with left-fielder Stephen Smith making a fine catch to end the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Cummins had his second double of the game, and pinch hitter Christian Lam also reached base, but Campbell ended the inning on a strikeout.
In the seventh inning, Cummins again had a 1-2-3 inning, ending the game on a wicked breaking ball to strike the batter out looking, sending Morgan Hill to the Zone.
