Elm Grove Defeats Warwood for Mountaineer Pony League Championship
Wins Pony League championship in 11-10 victory against Warwood
WARWOOD — More than a decade of frustration came to an end Saturday night at Garden Park.
Elm Grove, which hadn’t won a Mountaineer Pony League baseball division let alone a championship in eight seasons, was crowned tournament champions after a hard-fought, 11-10, victory over Warwood, which had claimed the last two tournament titles.
“They’ve been doing this all year. We won the regular season and wanted to win the tournament … to double up,” Elm Grove (18-2) head coach Don Shelek said. “We finally did it.”
The Redbirds (17-6), who were playing their seventh game in as many days after losing a second-round tournament contest, jumped out to a 4-0 lead after half an inning, but the Eagles, who were beaten 13-1 in six innings Friday night by Warwood, tallied four runs of their own to draw even.
“We could’ve easily folded there down 4-0 after being pummeled yesterday, but they didn’t,” he added. “They are battlers. They come every day to practice wanting to get better.
“Most of these kids are heading to high school next year, so this is it for them,” Shelek said while choking back his emotions. “It’s also my last hurrah with them, including my son, Slater. They’re a great bunch of kids. They are special, but so are the parents who get the fields ready all the time and help with the behind-the-scene stuff.
“It’s been a wonderful ride and I just want to enjoy it with these guys,” he noted while motioning to the team members.
Both teams scored a run in the second, but the Eagles put up a six-spot in the bottom of the fourth to take what they thought was a comfortable margin at 11-5.
After Thomas Minor reached on an infield single and Keegan Ayres was hit-by-a-pitch, leadoff hitter Trevor Rosenthal dropped a single down the leftfield line that scored Minor. Dominic Pompeo slapped a single up the middle that produced two runs. Josh Custer walked and Brandon Brown was safe when no play was made on his infield grounder to load the bases. James Salvatori sliced a single down the rightfield line that plated two more runs. The final run, which proved to be the game-winner, scored when Minor struck out and the ball was dropped. The throw to first was misplayed.
Warwood battled right back in the top of the fifth when it struck for five runs, cutting the deficit to 11-10.
Erik Cover reached on an error leading off and Tyler Weekley singled. After the runners each moved up a base, James Francis singled both of them in and went to third on a throw home. Alex Maguire and Jubel Blankenship each added run-producing singles to make it a one-run game.
Warwood had a golden scoring opportunity in the top of the sixth as Weekley singled and stole second with one out. However, Trevor Rosenthal, who had moved from the mound to shortstop to start the inning, snagged a rocket by Francis and stepped on second for the inning-ending double play.
“That was a huge play,” Warwood head coach Ryan Storm said. “It looked like we had something going, but he caught the ball and doubled us up. Nothing we can do there.”
When Custer got the final out — via a looking called third strike — he was mobbed by his teammates near the mound as a wild celebration took place.
“Hats off to Warwood,” Shelek praised. “Seven games in seven days. That’s great coaches, great kids that respect the game, their opponent and the umpires.”
Despite playing for a week straight, Storm refused to use that as an excuse.
“It was a heck of a game. Tip your hat to both teams,” he said. “Elm Grove is a deserving champion, but I’m proud of the effort by my boys, too. The effort was there. The arms may be a little tired next week, but I can’t fault the effort at all.
“I think we just made too many mental and physical errors today and Elm Grove took advantage of that.”
Rosenthal earned the victory with five strong innings on the mound. He struck out eight and walked three before giving way to Custer in the sixth. He also singled twice to drive in a run. Custer fanned three and didn’t walk a batter.
Dominic Pompeo drove in two runs with a single and triple, while Brandon Brown doubled in a pair. Slater Shelek added an RBI single.
Weekley took the loss in relief of Alex Maguire. Maguire had three strikeouts and a walk in two innings of work. Weekley struck out three and issued one free pass.
Xavier Morris singled in a run for Warwood. Weekley had a pair of base raps and Francis drove in four runs with a pair of two-run singles. Maguire finished with two run-scoring singles.
LEGION BASEBALL
Post 1 sweeps
Clarksburg
CLARKSBURG — Post 1 improved to 14-3 on the American Legion baseball season with a doubleheader sweep of homestanding Clarksburg at Frank Loria Field.
Wheeling won the first game 11-1 in six innings and completed the sweep with an 8-2 decision in the nightcap. Post 1 does not play today.
In the opener, Frankie Favede went the distance, striking out four, walking one and scattering eight hits.
Colton Coss singled twice and doubled to lead Wheeling’s 15-hit attack. Jarrett Delbrugge, Gage Giovengo, Tyler Riedel and Ross Salvatori each singled twice, with Giovengo, Riedel and Salvatori all driving in two runs each. Chad Harper doubled.
Riedel fashioned a complete game in the nightcap. He fanned five and issued three free passes.
Coss belted three singles and knocked in a trio of runs, while Delbrugge singled twice.
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