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SYA East team to battle for title
The Southwestern Youth Association 9- and 10-year-old Little League All-Stars had grown accustomed to bases-loaded situations. Scoring 49 runs on 45 hits through three games generally provides that luxury. But in the fourth game – the semifinal round – of the Tournament of State Champions in Ceredo-Kenova, W.Va., someone flipped the script on the SYA East team.Trying to wiggle out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth inning on Tuesday, reliever Christian Leckert eventually shut the door with a pair of strikeouts to preserve a 4-3 win for SYA East. The All-Stars, who topped Huntsville Eastern (Ala.) during that semifinal game, play Columbus American (Ga.) tonight for the title.
“We've had a lot of hits, we're scoring and our defense has done well,” said Carter Bach, who relieved starter Daniel Lachance (sore shoulder) after the second inning and carried his team to the sixth before giving way to Leckert.
Tuesday's win followed a three-game round of pool play in which SYA East posted wins of 11-1, 17-6 and 21-4 over Greater Naples (Fla.), Ireland (Ind.) and Ripley (W.Va), respectively. A crowd of parents, friends and fans have even started to gather at Chantilly National Golf & Country Club to watch the games online.
On Tuesday, SYA East scored once during each of the first three innings while holding Huntsville Eastern scoreless until the top of the fourth. SYA East answered Huntsville's two-run rally with an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame, but the Alabama natives would again threaten in the sixth.
“It was getting a little tense out there,” said coach Bob Woodruff. “We're hoping that we can keep 'em loose ... get 'em exhausted at the [swimming] pool.”
After three games of pool play, SYA East was hitting .461 (35-for-76) as a team, keyed by performances from Leckert (5-for-7, 4 RBIs, 7 runs scored), Matthew Blaise (8-for-12, 7 RBIs, 8 runs scored) and Daniel Woodruff (6-for-10, 2 RBIs, 5 runs scored).
“Most of us are nervous because it's the first time SYA East has been to the championship for regionals,” said Daniel Woodruff. “My dad's been telling us that it's just another baseball game.”
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