There is still no champion for the American Little League Majors, after Tuesday night's final game of a doubleheader was continued due to time.
In a win or go home situation, the red hot Tigers bolstered over 12 runs for the game to lead them soaring past the Indians in the first of a double elimination night at Julien field on Tuesday. Offensively, the Tigers rallied to produce over 15 hits for the game and also walk seven times.
“Our approach is to be disciplined at the plate, we don’t like to just go up there and swing, we like to let the kids see a pitch because it gets their timing down and creates patience,” Tigers head coach Leon Curtis said. “A patient hitter is a good hitter. We really work hard to make the kids be patient and it is finally paying off.”
From the beginning, the Tigers were red hot, in the bottom of the first inning, the Indians found themselves in a bases loaded jam with no outs. Starting pitcher, Cameron Sherwood threw 40 pitches in an inning that saw four walks and three runs to begin the game. He walked in the first run for the Tigers after hitting Markie Delgadillo in the back. Silas Fredeen followed with an RBI single, driving in Justin Hines for the second run. Then Jake Abrams walked in Jordan Jimenez for the third run of the inning to put the Tigers up 3-1 — and they didn’t look back.
Sherwood was pulled the second inning with one out after allowing back-to-back solo homeruns. A lead off solo homerun from Luke Curtis, who broke the game wide open 4-1, was followed by a Jimenez solo shot to put them up 5-1. This would be the final run needed to hold off the victory against the Indians who produced all three runs for the ball game, just before the end of the third. Ank Bains came in to relieve Sherwood and pitched the remainder of the game, allowing over six runs in 4 2/3 innings of work.
“We need to throw strikes and make plays, what we did was walk too many guys and that hurt us,” Indians head coach Lee Smith said.
Curtis also started for the Tigers and tossed 85 pitches in 4 1/3 innings of work, struck out nine, walked five and allowed three runs on wild pitches in the 12-3 win. Offensively for his team, he went 4-for-4 with a solo homerun and also a walk.
Jordan Jimenez came in to relieve Curtis and finished the game for his squad as he pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed no runs. On offense, he went 3-for-3 with a solo homerun and also a pair of RBIs.
“Defensively, they are doing what they have done all year, getting outs they should. We really put a lot of time working on defense,” Curtis said. “The kids hit very well; some key hits and sparks that broke it open.”
The Tigers scored at least one run in all but the final inning of the game, and in the first four innings, they produced two or more runs in each inning.
In the second game, the Tigers racked up 17 runs to the Indians eight, however the game was called due to the late time. The game will continue today at Julien Field.
