11 July 2010

After giving up five runs in the first inning to a heavy slugging Pendleton All Star team, Ashland 9-10 year old all stars battled back from 5-0 and 6-1 deficits to tie the game at 6 all in the bottom of the sixth with a three run rally, sending the game into a rare extra innings affair.

Behind solid pitching from John Ropp, Tate Scarpaci and Evan Mclennan the Ashland team chipped away at the Pendleton lead with single runs in the 1st, 3rd and 5th. Kellar Edwards was 2 for 5 with clutch hits to tie the game twice. John Ropp and Tate Scarpaci each scored twice. Evan McLennan showed nerves of steel by pitching himself out of a pair of bases loaded jams in the 6th and 7th innings. Max Longshore started off the rally in the sixth with a first pitch single. Zachary Sanderson wore down the pitcher and changed the tone of the game with a tenacious at bat in which he fouled off at least 8 strikes from the Pendleton fireballer.

Edge of your seat baseball began in the bottom of the sixth when Kellar Edwards drove in two runs to tie the game at 6-6, then got thrown out at third trying to hustle the hit into a triple.  After a seventh inning of scoreless, tense baseball, Pendleton scored one in the top of the 8th inning to take the lead, only to lose the lead when Tate Scarpaci led off with a hard roping single to center field, then stole second. John Ropp singled to drive Scarpaci in to tie the game. Action culminated with runners on second and third when Evan McLennan hit an RBI walk off single to win the game.

Parents and coaches were extremely proud of the Ashland All Stars because even when they were down by five runs they never gave up!