Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Canfield adjourns Washington Court House in rout
By BRIAN DZENIS
BOARDMAN
Canfield’s Ben Slanker said he was just feeling “really well” going into Monday’s Little League state contest against Washington Court House.
The good vibes were justified. He hit a two-run home run in first at-bat, starting a 13-1 rout to make the Little League 11U quarterfinals.
Canfield cranked out 16 hits and scored 10 runs in the fourth inning to end the game with the mercy rule at Fields of Dreams.
“The team just came together,” Slanker said. “We do that in any inning.”
Despite the final score, Canfield coach George Beck still expects more out of his squad.
There’s no such thing as a bad win, but I’m disappointed in the way that they showed up today,” Beck said. “It looked like they didn’t come mentally prepared to play from the get go and it took us a few innings to get going.
“We have to come into games more focused, not in the fourth inning,” he added.
Slanker was responsible for Canfield’s first three runs. Washington Court House’s Jonah Waters hit a solo homer in the bottom of the first to split the deficit. In Slanker’s next at-bat the following inning, he cranked a two-out, opposite field double to score Luca Ricchiuti. Slanker finished the game 3 for 3 with three RBIs.
“That’s been the best game Ben’s had this year since he’s been back with us,” Beck said of his shortstop. “He’s a phenomenal baseball player. He has great range at short, he has a rocket of an arm his bat has as much pop as any in our lineup.”
Slanker spent time with Canfield’s 12U team this summer, but when it came time for districts, he returned to the 11U team.
“I’ve seen better pitching,” Slanker said of his time with the older team.
Washington Court House went through three pitchers in the fourth inning, but it wasn’t enough to stop Canfield’s scoring onslaught.
Broc Lowry hit a two-run double before coming home on a wild pitch. Another wild pitch scored Jake Schneider and on the same play, a botched throw from catcher to third scored Connor Daggett.
Jack Davis, Peyton Ahlquist and Ricchiuti hit consectutive RBI doubles and A.J. Harvilla knocked in two runs with a single to bring the lead to 10 runs.
Schneider picked up the win on the mound, allowing a run on a walk and six hits. Jameson Beck took the hill for the final inning. He struck out two while closing out the game.
Canfield still sits in the winner’s bracket heading into the quarterfinals. The team faces Maumee today at 7 p.m. Beck expects his team to be better.
“It gets tougher, every game is a tough game. There’s no easy opponent here,” Beck said.
“They’re here because they won their district and Ohio puts out good baseball teams. If we don’t come in focused tomorrow, these kids are in for a rude awakening.”