Breaking News
Local Sports

Gaining separation

Wisconsin upends Jamestown at BRWS

By SCOTT KINDBERG and CHRISTIAN STORMS 7 min read

JAMESTOWN -- Through four innings, Janesville, Wisconsin found itself in a tight nightcap to Day 4 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series.

Then the Ohio Valley Regional champions gained some separation.

In a big way.

Leading 2-1, Janesville sent 14 batters to the plate in the top of the fifth inning, scored eight runs -- courtesy of a heavy dose of "small ball" -- and collected four hits to build a comfortable lead en route to a 10-5 victory over Jamestown before a large and enthusiastic crowd at Diethrick Park.

The win improves Janesville to 3-1, while the hosts drop to 2-1.

Highlighting the decisive inning for the winners were a two-run double by Noah Burke, a pair of suicide-squeeze bunts by Colton Lund and Jordan Timm and an RBI single by Graham Miller. That rally turned out to be enough support for winning pitcher Lucas Martin and reliever Eli Mosley, who combined on a two-hitter.

Jamestown, which had beaten Nederland, Texas and Westfield, Massachusetts to open the World Series, scored a run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Noah Lindell, the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game, and four in the fifth, highlighted by Lindell's RBI single.

But the hosts inability to string together hits -- Brayden Crawford had the only other one -- against the Janesville pitching tandem of Martin and Mosley.

Starter Liam Mulkins, one of five Jamestown hurlers, took the loss.

Russell Tourdot, who got Janesville on the board with a two-run double in the second inning, finished with two hits and was named the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game. Mosley and Cam Demrow also had a pair of hits.

Janesville has now completed pool play. Jamestown will be back in action today at 5 p.m. against Southeast, Missouri. Because of potential weather issues, the start games for today are 9 a.m., 11:30 and 2:30.

CONNECTICUT 10, PUERTO RICO 4

Bethel, Connecticut scored nine runs in the final two innings to break open a close game on its way to a 10-4 win over Puerto Rico.

Max DeMoura collected three hits, drove in a run and was named the Ron Tellefsen Player of the game; Owen Sveda (two RBIs) and Bradley Carroll (double) collected two hits apiece; and Noah Burke added a two-run double in support of winning pitcher Alex Martin, who worked the final 3.1 innings in relief of Sveda.

Added together it was enough support to rally past Puerto Rico, which was unable to hold a 3-1 lead after five innings.

Justin Torres, the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game, had both hits and drove in both runs for Puerto Rico (1-3), which has completed pool play. Bethel, which improved to 1-1, will meet Nederland, Texas at 9 a.m. today.

NEW JERSEY 10, WASHINGTON 0

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. -- Atlantic Shore, New Jersey continued its impressive week at the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series with a dominant 10-0 victory over Woodlands, Washington in National Division action during Game 14 at Diethrick Park in Jamestown on Tuesday.

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Champions came out swinging with Landon Gracia knocking a one-out single before stealing second base and being promptly hit home by Nick Gelegonya. That began a Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game performance from Gelegonya who stole second and third before scoring on a balk that inning. He finished the day 3 for 5 with three RBIs and stole four bases.

Atlantic Shore, New Jersey scored in each of the first five innings amassing a 9-0 lead with RBIs coming from Cole Leusner, Gracia hit an RBI double and Joey Gonzalez knocked an RBI single going 2 for 3 on the day.

It was an equally impressive performance from the Mid-Atlantic Region Champions on the bump as Declan Bridgeman gave up just one hit in his five innings of work before coming out of the game for Gelegonya.

Atlantic Shore, New Jersey looked on course for an early finish courtesy of the mercy rule, but the offense was kept off the board in the sixth inning once Woodlands, Washington's Karlie Bok took the mound. Bok -- already making history as the first girl to compete in the Babe Ruth World Series at Diethrick Park in Jamestown -- came in and showed her stuff with a quick 1-2-3 frame that guaranteed her teammates a seventh inning.

Unfortunately for the Pacific Northwest Regional Champions, Gelegonya and Atlantic Shore, New Jersey made it difficult for a rally and held off for the 10-0 victory after adding one more tally in the seventh.

Receiving the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Award from Woodlands, Washington -- Lincoln Horn -- reached base twice while hitting 1 for 3 with a single.

Atlantic Shore, New Jersey is firmly in first place of the National Division and will have a battle against fellow undefeated team Tallahassee, Florida on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

Woodlands, Washington will have one more shot at a win against Bethel, Connecticut at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

MISSOURI 9, MASSACHUSETTS 2

One inning can make all the difference in a baseball game and a big bottom of the third was all Southeast, Missouri needed to defeat Westfield, Massachusetts 9-2 in American Division action in Game 13 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series at Diethrick Park in Jamestown on Tuesday morning.

After giving up two runs in the top of the third, the Mid-West Plains Regional Champions were looking for a response and it came immediately with eight runs as the team hit through the lineup.

Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Jackson Browne got things started off for Southeast, Missouri as he connected for his second hit of the game with a leadoff single and stole both second and third before scoring on an RBI groundout by Waylon Basler that ended up being an error -- keeping the Mid-West Plains Regional Champions at just one out before really pulling away in the contest.

Colby Kutz tied the game a few batters later with an RBI single to CF and Ollie Wengert's RBI single to left grabbed the lead at 3-2. Westfield, Massachusetts had the chance to get out of the jam when a short hopper came to short with the bases loaded following Wengert's single, but the second throwing error of the inning went over the catcher's head and Southeast, Missouri added another two runs with a 5-2 lead.

A walk loaded the bases again with just one out and even after a pitching change the walks kept coming with RBI bases on balls earned by Browne and Kayson Bauwens making the lead 7-2. Drake Ritter then scored on a wild pitch, giving Southeast, Missouri a commanding 8-2 lead.

Westfield, Massachusetts got the scoring started in the top half of the third with Jackson Daley hitting an RBI single to plate Jake Moltenbrey and then JJ Rodriguez scored in the next at bat with an error in the infield. The team was looking to replicate that inning and possibly more in the fourth, but Southeast, Missouri stranded Eric Dean on second after he hit a two-out single and maintained the 8-2 lead.

Browne capped off his Player of the Game performance in the bottom of the fifth when he connected on his third and final hit of the day, stole both second and third, then scored the final run of the contest on a balk making it 9-2.

With the 9-2 result, Southeast, Missouri earned its first win of the World Series and will hope to keep that going Wednesday night against Jamestown at 7.

Daley earned the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game for Westfield, Massachusetts after hitting 1 for 3 with an RBI single. Daley and his teammates are still in search of a win and the next opportunity will come on Wednesday morning at 11 against Nederland, Texas.

Starting at /week.