Font ResizeIn a close contest, the A’s narrowly squeaked past the Giants to secure their championship of the majors division. However, the last win did not come easily, as the Giants came to play. Once again the game featured the two best pitchers in Southern Humboldt Little League. Grant Wick of the Sylvandale A’s was dominant, allowing no hits in the first three innings. Lotus Mountain Giants’ hurler Troy Langley did give up some hits although he had eight strikeouts in the first three innings. Not only were both of these players amazing on the mound but put up huge hits for their teams.
After a hard-fought Giants victory last week there was an eerie pre-game silence enveloping Wood Field in Redway on Tuesday night. A’s speedster Eli Kahan led off with a trademark walk putting him in his favorite spot: inside the head of the pitcher. Helping his own cause, Wick jumped on the first pitch roping an RBI triple. After Cole Moody knocked Wick in with a triple of his own, Langley struck out the side. A’s 2, Giants 0. A’s Nick Way led off the top of the 2nd with a single and three batters later, Kahan’s base hit brought Way home giving the A’s a 3-0 lead. The third inning brought sluggers Wick and Moody back up to the plate. Wick started off with a single to right center, stole a base and put himself into scoring position with cleanup hitter Cole Moody at bat. Doing his job, Moody singled to left center enabling the run to score. A’s 4, Giants 0.
The sleeping Giants awoke in the bottom of the 4th when leadoff hitter Kevin Vandenack strode to the plate, ending Wick’s no-hitter with a single past second base. Determined to rally his teammates Langley crushed Wick’s fastball over the left field fence for his 5th round tripper of the season. A’s 4, Giants 2. A’s catcher Johnny Sammons led off the 5th with a walk. Sammons scored on a Grant Wick triple and when Langley came to his pitch count the Giants brought in hard throwing reliever Brad Martin. A’s 5, Giants 2. He did his job not allowing the A’s to reach base the rest of the game.
After Wick walked his final batter, the bottom of the 6th inning brought A’s Cole Moody to the mound, the Giants’ last opportunity to score. Despite throwing 2 incredible curve balls that left Langley in the dirt, Moody was not able to finish him off and Troy took the base on balls. After a strikeout and a failed attempt to steal home by the Giants, they were in their final hour with 2 outs and a man on in the 6th. Rookie slugger Connor Messenger took Moody to a full count before thundering a huge RBI triple to deep right center. A’s 5, Giants 3. Not wanting to be outdone by his friend and teammate, fellow rookie Dylan Knostman stepped into the box bringing the tying run to the plate. He got the pitch he was waiting for and ripped the high change-up down the line for a RBI double. A’s 5, Giants 4. Knostman stole 3rd while the patient Randy Reese worked himself a walk. Moody struck out the final batter for the victory as the Giants stranded runners at the corners. All season the Sylvandale Gardens A’s played superior baseball and are well deserving of their championship title.
Wednesday the Whitethorn VFW Pirates and the Southern Humboldt Fitness Dodgers met for another exciting match up. The game featured good pitching by Dodgers’ Jeff Bittick and Donovan Pogue. Excellent defensive plays by Pogue included a double play as well as a pick off at second. Pirates hard throwing pitcher, Ilan Goodheart, burned through the Dodger batting line up in what may have been his best outing of the season. Even though the Dodgers led the game 4-2 early, the Pirates came back with a big rally to secure themselves the win. Dakota Cox made a big league catches of a hard hit line drive to end the game. When the dust settled the Pirates had won 11-8. All four of these teams are scheduled to play each other again Saturday, June 6.
PHOTOS BY CARA KNOSTMAN
1. As Grant Wick begins his descent into 3rd, Colton Phelps awaits the throw, and Troy Langley backs up.
2. Giants hitter Dylan Knostman makes contact against the A’s.
