BRISTOL, Conn. — Hollidaysburg is playing for a spot in the Little League World Series today.
The Pennsylvania State champions bowled 13-0 on Thursday afternoon in four innings in an elimination game televised live on ESPN in the Little League Baseball 12U Mid-Atlantic Regional at the A. Bartlett Giamatti Leadership Training Center on Washington’s Northwest Washington team DC over.
“The kids loved it,” said Hollidaysburg manager Jim McGough. “We spoke to them a lot about adversity and how they responded to it just shows the character of this team. They got the bats rolling and put in a great performance out there.”
The Hollidaysburg Area Summer Baseball League team meets Delaware in a game today at 3:00 p.m. in the regional championship for the right to promotion to Williamsport. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Hollidaysburg lost second round to Delaware 5-4 Tuesday night in a game that was 2-2 through the last inning.
“I think we have a good idea of what to expect (from Delaware),” McGough said. “We will be prepared and have a good game plan that comes into play. If the kids are all smiling and enjoying themselves, we will be fine.”
On Thursday, Hollidaysburg defeated Washington DC for the second time in the four-team tournament by scoring seven hits, including two home runs, while conceding just one hit.
Chase Link scored the second straight game in the bottom of the first inning to give the local team a 1-0 lead. After touching third base, Link made a bull horn sign with his fingers, kicked up some dirt and ran and jumped to home plate.
According to McGough, the Bull Power sign was something his players do as a tribute to the individuals with physical and mental challenges – the Little League Challenger Division – who they met during the state championship tournament in Bradford.
“That was a tremendous boost for our kids,” McGough said. “It got the kids excited and helped us win.”
Link relieved starting pitcher Brody Dull with two runners and no outs in the top of the second inning and worked his way out of the jam.
Hollidaysburg then extended their lead with a fourth place finish at the end of second. Link delivered a bases-loaded single to score two runs, and Braden Hatch and Caleb Detrick drove in one run each.
Hollidaysburg then broke up the game in the bottom third. Jackson Boob came off the bench and drilled a two-run homer and hit a three-run double later in the same inning.
“Jackson was injured in the Delaware game and had been nursing an injury,” McGough said. “But he was ready to go today and played Lights Out. He came off the bench and gave us a huge spark.”
Detrick also had a two-run single in the inning, and Nathan Phillips scored with a full-base walk.
Link finished the team at the top of fourth and Hollidaysburg won under the 10-run mercy rule.
McGough said Link, Dull and Aspen Anderson are the only players on the team who will be unable to compete in tonight’s finals due to exceeding pitching limits.
“We’re thrilled with our pitching for the championship game,” said McGough. “They really embraced our culture that everyone on the team can achieve. Our pitching will be ready.”
While Hollidaysburg played on Thursday, Delaware’s new signing Wilmington Naamans watched, having already secured his place in the finals.
“We love to play baseball,” McGough said. “The more we play, the more excited and confident our boys are. We had to play an extra game and our kids accepted it.”
McGough said in preparation for tonight’s finals his team will be spending time with family, “laughing a lot” and likely playing tennyball, a form of baseball using a tennis ball.
He said he wants the kids to enjoy the experience, which included Link, who was interviewed on ESPN after Thursday’s win.
“You understand the circumstances,” McGough said. “We talk a lot about the mental part of the game and how to focus on getting out there and competing. Once they’re between the lines, only kids play a baseball game. That’s how it was then (in previous tournaments) and that’s how it is now.”
WASHINGTON DC (0): Rossi ss 200, Higginbotham cf 201, Trendl lf-3b 200, Young 1b 100, McClees 1b-p 100, Knight 2b 100, Rose rf 000, Daskal-Koss rf 100, Daniel p 100, Fedchak lf 000, Saad 3b-p 100, Paul 1b 100, Liddle c 000, Wander c 000. Overall — 13-0-1.
PENNSYLVANIA (13): McGough ss 221, Link 3b-p 232, Hatch c 200, Detrick rf 212, Metzger 1b-lf-1b 110, Rabel lf-2b 120, Dull 1b 000, Boob 3b 212, Anderson cf 210, Phillips 2b-3b 120, dively lf 100. Totals – 16-13-7.
RESULT BY ININGS
Washington DC 000 0XX–0 1 0
Pennsylvania 148 XXX–13 7 1
LOB–Washington DC 5, Pennsylvania 4. 2B–Boob. 3B-Higginbotham. HR-Link, Boob. RBI – Boob 5, Link 3, Detrick 3, Hatch, Rabel. HBP – Rabel, McGough, Metzger. CS Higginbotham. WP link. LP Daniel. SO – Link 6, Saad 1. BB – Dull 2, Link 2, Daniel 4, Saad 3. Wild Pitch – Saad 2.
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