Jupiter, Fla. , October 26-30, 2006
TOP 10 HIGHLIGHTS
SUNDAY, Oct. 29
COMPILED BY ALLAN SIMPSON
The top 10 highlights from the third full day of play Sunday at the World Wood Bat fall championship:
1. Martin?€™s timely grand slam. East Cobb third baseman Ethan Martin (Toccoa, Ga. ) rallied his club from a 1-0, fifth-inning deficit with a long grand slam as the Astros went on to beat Florida ?€™s Hammertime Performance 6-1. Lefthander Jack McGeary pitched a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts.
2. Webb pitches team to playoffs. Junior righthander Daniel Webb (Paducah, Ky. ), one of the top prospects in the 2008 class, threw a three-hitter with nine strikeouts to lead Kentucky ?€™s Midland Scout Team to a 1-0 win over the Orlando Magic and a spot in the playoffs.
3. Another zero for ADB. California?€™s ABD Bulldogs won their fourth straight game in pool play by shutout, claiming a 3-0 win over North Carolina?€™s On Deck O?€™s, to advance out of Pool A. Righthanders Justin Baca (Las Vegas, Nev.), who worked the first six innings, and Matt Harrison (Henderson, Nev.) allowed three hits between them. Harrison struck out the side in the seventh in his one inning of work.
4. Dirtbag stomps Devils. Righthander Tyler Hibbs (Odenton, Md. ) silenced the South Carolina Diamond Devils on one hit, striking out eight, as North Carolina ?€™s Dirtbags won their playoff opener in convincing fashion, 8-0.
5. Torkin does his part. West Coast/MVP (Calif.) righthander Michael Tonkin (Palmdale, Calif. ) threw a no-hitter with seven strikeouts but ended up with a no-decision when his team failed to score in a 0-0 tie against New York ?€™s South Troy/Youth Services team. West Coast/MVP needed a win to move on to bracket play, but the tie enabled Hammertime to secure the one playoff berth at stake from Pool C.
6. Mitchell, Reeves cross check Sandlot. PG Crosschecker edged Oklahoma ?€™s Sandlot/Midwest Scout team 1-0 as righthanders Matt Mitchell (Barstow, Calif. ) and Taylor Reeves (Chesapeake, Va.) combined on a one-hitter.
7. Schlosser comes through in clutch. Southwest Florida first baseman Gus Schlosser (Bradenton, Fla.) hit a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the seventh, his third hit of the game, in a 5-4 win against the Atlanta Blue Jays. The victory would have lifted his team into the playoffs from Pool F had the Houston Heat not won later in the day, and won a three-way tie-breaker with the Blue Jays and Southwest Florida. All three teams ended at 3-1.
8. Pool-winning no-hitter. The Sandlot/Midwest Scout Team from Oklahoma earned a playoff berth from Pool M when righthander Drew Rucinski (Broken Arrow, Okla.) threw a five-inning no-hitter against Perfect Game Kelly Green. Rucinski, who worked between 83-86 mph, walked one and struck out five.
9. Second four-hit game. Wisconsin?€™s Midwest Blazers defeated Louisiana?€™s Bill Hood/Marucci Bat Co. 7-2 in a game that had no playoff implications, but Blazers center fielder Kurt Muller (Sun Prairie, Wis.) turned in the second 4-for-4 performance of the tournament. He also scored three times and stole two bases.
10. Blair fastball dazzles. Righthander Seth Blair (Rock Falls, Ill.) dominated his home-state Cangelosi Orioles through five innings, allowing two hits and striking out four as the Reds Scout Team won 2-0. Blair?€™s fastball was a steady 88-92 mph and reached 94.