By Connor Wiggins
Proformance Dodgers 13U team out of Arkansas didn’t waste any time getting to work against their west coast opponents from California’s capital city, CBA Sacramento Wildcats National, on Wednesday afternoon. CBA started the top of the first inning with a hit, but the runner was stranded after two strikeouts from Dodgers’ starting pitcher, Grant Johnson. “I just pumped strikes, and they couldn’t hit it,” Johnson said. The Dodgers got their bats going early in the bottom of the first inning as they plated six runs on six hits. They didn’t look back from there. Grant Johnson stayed on the mound for the top of the second inning, and struck out the side. He was finished on the mound for the afternoon after striking out five of the seven batters he faced. “I didn’t throw too many pitches, so I think I could throw another game,” Johnson said. The Dodgers continued to pound the baseball in the bottom of the second inning as they plated five more runs against the Sacramento side, but they still weren’t finished after extending their lead to 11. CBA managed to get a couple runners on base in the top of the third inning on two base hits, but couldn’t score in the inning as one was left stranded after relief pitcher Ashton Cobb threw in the inning. “I just wanted to come in, throw strikes, and get ground balls,” Ashton Cobb said. He did just that and felt as if he could come in and do the same in upcoming games in the SlumpBuster. The Dodgers’ bats stayed hot in the bottom of the third inning as they plated four more runs and extended their lead to 15. It wasn’t until the top of the fourth inning when CBA saw their first runs come to the plate. CBA managed to plate three runs in the inning, but it was all for nought as the Dodger’s managed to escape a bases-loaded jam. The ballgame ended via the run rule in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Dodgers scored 3 more runs and the umpire called it a game. “We had great at-bats and it was a great performance,” said head coach of the Dodgers Michael Brower. “They hit a lot of fastballs and delivered for us today.” The Dodgers are in good shape after ending this game early. “It’s a long tournament, so you have to be real conservative with your pitching and hope when it comes down to bracket play, all the boys are fresh and ready to go,” Brower said. By Connor Wiggins
There was not a lot that separated St. Louis Force and Omaha Tigers Black in the first three innings of Wednesday’s 10:15 AM game, but the tides turned in the fourth inning of the ballgame. The Force looked very convincing in the first inning of play as they plated two runs on four hits and left two runners on the bags, but the Tigers responded quickly in the bottom of the first inning. The Tigers had their lead-off hitter walked to begin the day, and he was driven in by the next hitter. The Force’s starting pitcher was pulled in the first inning after he proceeded to hit the next two at the plate with pitches. The Force’s next pitcher came into the game in the first inning and struck out three batters, but also hit one with a pitch with the bases loaded to make the game 2-2. The Tigers started the second inning with a new pitcher, who got a flyout to the right fielder, a groundout to the shortstop, and a flyout to the second baseman to go 1-2-3 in the inning. Things got interesting in the bottom of the second inning as the Tigers plated five runs on three hits and made the game 7-2. It looked like the Force were in trouble, but the Tigers didn’t plate another run the rest of the game. In the top of the third inning, the Force got started quickly and knew they needed to respond to the Tigers’ five runs. The Force plated 4 runs in the third inning, but had an astounding seven stolen bases as well. The Tigers’ pitcher didn’t let the St. Louis side threaten anymore than they already had as the struck at the last two at the plate in the inning. The Force sent Tommy Gibbar to the mound in the bottom of the third inning, and he had the stuff to halt the hot bats of the Tigers. “I had my changeup working and was hitting the spots with my fastball,” Gibbar said. The Force’s pitcher struck out two in the inning. The Tigers made some mistakes in the top of the fourth on the mound, and it cost them. The Force scored 5 more runs in the inning without getting a single hit. There were 6 walks in the top of the fourth, one being a hit batter. The Force also plated a run on a wild pitch with 2 outs to make it 11-7, but the Tigers managed to strikeout the 6-hole hitter of the Force to make the deficit at least manageable to comeback from. Tommy Gibbar stayed in for the fourth inning, as the Tigers had three hits. None of them were enough to plate a single run though, as The Force caught one trying to steal second base and one fell victim to a ground ball at second base. The fourth inning ended at 11-7 on a lineout to the third baseman. The Tigers kept the deficit at four runs in the top of the fifth inning with a groundout to the shortstop, a runner thrown out at second, and a looking strikeout to the Force’s leadoff hitter. The Force started to finish their business on the mound in the bottoms of fifth and sixth innings, as both were 1-2-3 innings, but the action came in the top of the sixth inning for the Force. Five. That’s the number of home runs the Force hit in the top of the sixth inning, including two from Bret Yarger and Brysen Nepute. “I was just thinking line drive,” Yarger said. “I wasn’t trying to hit it over, I was just trying to hit it hard.” The Force plated an outrageous 12 more runs in the top of the sixth to seal the deal. Head Coach Sal McGhee of St. Louis Force was pleased with his team’s performance at the plate in Wednesday’s game. “We just started hitting the ball, and when we started hitting it, everything took care of itself,” McGhee said. McGhee also complimented the bats of their opponents in the game. “That’s a good hitting team,” he said. “We’ve played them before and they’re real disciplined at the plate.” St. Louis Force will play against CBA Sacramento Wildcats National on Thursday at 8:00 AM as Omaha Tigers Black will play the same Sacramento side at 12:30 PM on Thursday. Don’t miss the Festival Night as the 2019 Omaha SlumpBuster kicks into action!
When: Thursday, June 13 Time: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Where: Council Bluffs Recreation Complex 2900 Richard Downing Ave. Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501 What: Domingo Ayala, Bat Explosion, Pin Trading, Burning of the Bats, Vendors, Skills Challenge, Pro Player Workout, Official SlumpBuster Merch and more! At 6 p.m. Domingo Ayala will kick things off on Field 10 with one of his hilarious shows. Following the show, Domingo will then lead the countdown for the famous Bat Explosion. Once the fire has been managed teams will be able to line up for the Burning of the Bats so make sure you bring a wooden bat! We are expecting upwards of 10,000 people to attend this year’s festival, so plan accordingly and carpool if possible. Once the main lots at the sports complex are full, the police will be shutting off the road and directing attendees to park in the shopping center across the street from the complex. You will then need to walk roughly a quarter of a mile to the festivities. The Pro Player Workout with the Iowa Western coaching staff will take place from 6-8:30pm on Field #7. Skills Challenge will be held on Fields #1-4 (See Map Below). Make sure to stop and see all of our vendors: Argent Sports, Baseball Lifestyle 101, Bownet, Dave and Busters, Dicks Sporting Goods, Easton Diamond Sports, Mister Wrist Bands, Mizuno, Prime Time Sporting Goods, Spiderz Batting Gloves, uHIT, VukGripz and YSPN. Limited food and drink options will be available in the concession stands so don’t show up starving. The Welcome Wagon is coming to Nebraska! If your team will be traveling on I-80 East on June 19 for Session #3 of the Omaha SlumpBuster, make sure to take a “Hotter in Potter Pit Stop”.
Our team will be ready for you at Exit 38 … take the exit and turn left, then follow the signs to the Potter Sundry. The first 200 people will get a FREE World Famous Tin Roof Sundae! Compete in the SlumpBuster Duckpin Bowling Challenge. The winning team will receive a $300 gift certificate to use at the merchandise store at the SlumpBuster Headquarters in Omaha. The “Hotter in Potter Pit Stop” will have clean bathrooms, great food, gas, a park for the kids, an ATM and tons of hospitality provided by our friends of the Lions Club. Take a break from that long, tedious stretch of I-80 and stop in Potter for a little fun! |