INEZ — The Martin County Cal Ripken League wrapped up Coach Pitch and Little League championship tournaments last week. Teams were seeded in their tournament bracket based on their regular season records. Below is a recap of the tournament action.
Ballers claim Coach Pitch championship
In the Coach Pitch division, the Falcons and the Ballers made it to the championship game June 2. The Ballers, coached by Chad Howell and Larry Howell, had to defeat the Falcons, coached by Andrea Guthrie, twice to claim the Coach Pitch championship. The Ballers won the first game 6-5 and the second game 10-4.
The Falcons made it to the championship round by defeating the Braves, Tigers, and Wolves. The Ballers lost their first-round game to the Wolves and dropped to the loser’s bracket. The Ballers defeated the Braves, Tigers, and Wolves to make it to the championship round.
In the championship game the Falcons struck first, scoring one run in their first at-bat behind a leadoff double by Mason Mollette. Brian Burke and Maci Yates knocked off a single apiece to bring home Mollette and go up 1-0.
The Ballers rallied back in their first at-bat to score three runs to take a 3-1 lead. Waylon Porter and Johnathan Hinkle knocked a single and Lyric Howell hit a home run to put the Ballers up 3-1. Jaxon Glispy and Willie Porter also knocked singles in the inning.
The Ballers erupted again in the second, scoring four more runs to go up 7-1. Hunter Bowen, Waylon Porter and Payton Blevins all knocked a single and Lyric Howell belted a triple to clear the bases.
The Falcons went three up and three down the next three innings.
The Ballers scored one run in the third to go up 8-1. Parker Fletcher knocked a double and Hunter Bowen singled to plate another run.
The Falcons plated another run in the fifth inning behind singles by Charlie Burke and Wesley Gilkey to cut the deficit 8-2.
The Ballers were not finished yet as Jon Hinkle led off the inning with a triple and once again Lyric Howell came through with another three-bagger to put the Ballers up 10-2.
The Falcons rallied in the sixth to score two more runs behind Easton Smith, Jayson Meadows and Axel Jude, all knocking singles, but it was not enough.
The Ballers claimed the 2023 Coach Pitch championship 10-4.
Braves defeat Diamondbacks in Little League final
The Braves, coached by Robert Howell, defeated Coach Jonathan Endicott’s Diamondbacks 10-5 to claim the Little League championship May 24.
The Diamondbacks scored two runs in their first at-bat to go up 2-0. The Braves fought back, exploding for four runs to take a 4-2 lead.
The Diamondbacks plated one run in the second to cut the deficit to 4-3.
The Braves erupted for two runs in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 9-3 lead.
The Diamondbacks collected two runs in the sixth to close the gap to 9-5.
The Braves plated one in the sixth to set the final score.
The Braves tallied seven hits for the game and recorded 15 strikeouts. Mayson Phillips doubled and had two singles, Bentley Copley knocked two singles, and Kash Howell and Lyric Howell singled.
The Diamondbacks tallied nine hits and gave up nine walks. Brodie Endicott knocked two singles, Hyden Reed knocked a double and a single, Bennie Marcum recorded two singles, and Luke Preece, Hunter Phelps and Ian Mullins singled.
