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Creekside falls short in NABF final
Photo
Creekside Fitness infielder Jared Wiesen, right, holds onto the baseball after forcing the Maryland Monarchs’ Jimmy Davis out at second base in the fourth inning. The Monarchs beat Creekside, 7-6, in the NABF World Series championship game.
By Steve Wilaj
STRUTHERS
In a championship game that saw numerous momentum swings, Creekside Fitness manager Terry Landis thought his team caught the final break.
Trailing by one run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Creekside’s Brandon Ritchie lifted a short popup to right field. Although it appeared catchable, the ball dropped between the Maryland Monarch defense and tied the National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series matchup at 6.
“I thought that gave us the boost to win the game,” Landis said.
But as was the case all afternoon, Creekside couldn’t take full advantage.
The Monarchs escaped the ninth inning with the game still tied and went on to win the NABF championship, 7-6, in 10 innings Sunday at Cene Park. The winning run scored on a sacrifice fly by tournament MVP Isaiah Pasteur.
“It was like a roller coaster of emotions,” said Maryland manager Tom Keating. “You think the game’s over with a routine pop, but that happens and right then you’re a little vulnerable as a team. But these kids didn’t blame anyone. They just said, ‘We got out of that inning and now we have to play to win.’ ”
In Creekside pitcher Dave Lemaster’s ninth inning of work, Jon Lucido singled to start the 10th. Jimmy Davis followed with a sacrifice bunt, Raekwon Sample singled and Syeed Mahdi was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. That set the stage for Pasteur.
“Both teams played well,” Landis said. “But the difference in the game was they hit when they were supposed to and we didn’t.”
With the game tied at 4, Creekside loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the fifth inning. But Maryland pitcher Ryan Callahan struck out Ritchie looking and got Nick Staller to hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
In the bottom half, a two-out single by Lucido brought home two runs to give the Monarchs a 6-4 advantage.
“Yeah, that was a big key to the game,” Creekside catcher Dan Ferguson said of the fifth. “But they have to do their part and make plays, too. They weren’t gonna give us the game.”
Each team committed three errors, but the Monarchs turned three double plays.
“They left some runners on and we played good defense at the right times,” Keating said. “We had some errors and they did as well, so it wasn’t a real clean game. But it was definitely a battle.”
Creekside answered with one run in the sixth on a run-scoring bunt by Steve Sada. From then on, both pitchers settled in.
Lemaster worked 82/3 innings in relief and took the loss. He allowed four runs on eight hits.
“He was only on a couple days rest and gave eight strong innings, so that’s a stud for you,” Ferguson said.
“I was just out there dealing,” Lemaster said. “I was just doing what I’m supposed to do.”
Callahan maintained the lead for Maryland, as he went 41/3 innings in relief and allowed just one run. Drew Spinnenwebber picked up the victory, allowing one run in pitching the final two innings.
Lucido, Sample and Davis all had two hits for the Monarchs. Ferguson and Sada paced Creekside with three hits each.
“They did a great job with this tournament and everything came down to how you wanted it,” Keating said. “An exciting 10-inning game – but somebody’s gotta win and somebody’s gotta lose. We were lucky enough to be on the winning end.”