Published: July 19, 2008 11:03 pm            

North Terre Haute 10-11s win District 4 LL tourney

CLINTON — North Terre Haute capitalized on a pair of defensive circumstances detrimental to Clinton, doubling up the latter 8-4 to win the rubber game of the Little League District 4 10-11s best-of-three tournament at Sportland Park on Thursday.

The first defensive circumstance for Clinton was just plain bizarre, while the second defensive circumstance for Clinton was just unfortunate. To the benefit of NTH, both resulted in four run innings — the second and sixth innings.

“Proud of our Little League, sending three teams to the state tournament … great experience for some of these kids,” stated NTH manager Jim “Peach” Leitgabel, referring to their 9-10s, 10-11s and 11-12s all advancing to state tournament play next week.

NTH’s 10-11s will also serve as the host team for their state tournament which begins Thursday. NTH will play its first game at 8 p.m. that night against a team to determined.

The first defensive circumstance led off the NTH second inning. Luke Jeffrey hit a line drive to Clinton rightfielder Dalton Bogetto, who made a diving catch for the first out — or did he? After Jeffrey returned to the dugout, the three umpires conferred and ruled the play not a clean catch, awarding Jeffrey first base.

After the decision was rendered, the Clinton scorekeeper sitting behind home plate directed a non-profane opinion of the call to the umpire who made the original call of out and was promptly tossed from the premises.

That set off a chain reaction of a hit batsman, a walk, a wild pitch, a passed ball, an error, another wild pitch and a RBI-single by ninth-place batter Austin Kurashima. Just like that NTH led 4-0.

To Clinton’s credit, they rallied to score a run in the third, then tied the game with three runs in the fourth inning.

In the third, Logan Waldrop had the RBI-single. In the fourth, Cole Morgan, Taylor Morgan and Jordan Branz had doubles. Taylor Morgan plated two runs, Branz plated the third run.

After the second inning, Clinton starting pitcher Tanner Waldrop retired nine of the next 10 NTH batters though the fifth inning. But he walked the first NTH batter in the sixth inning, then departed the mound having exceeded the 85-pitch limit.

That set the stage for the second defensive circumstance for Clinton. Jacob Wilson dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt, the Clinton third baseman’s throw to his first baseman was a bullet, waist-high, but the ball was inexplicably dropped for an error. As a result, both runners ended up in scoring position.

Brandon Curley followed with a two-RBI single, Kurashima a RBI-single, plus two additional errors and NTH was ahead comfortably 8-4. Kurashima held Clinton scoreless the final three innings and was the winning pitcher.

“Clinton has a heckuva ball team,” mentioned Leitgabel. “Like I’ve said earlier, we’ve battled them boys since they were eight years old. You saw tonight, it was a dogfight out there.

“To me the difference in the game … we got our bunts down, [Clinton] made a few errors, tossed the ball around a little bit. After [Clinton] tied it up 4-4, we kept our heads in the game, didn’t lose focus, came back and scored four [runs] there in the top of the sixth.”



North Terre Haute 040 004 — 8 4 1

Clinton 001 300 — 4 8 4

Jeffrey, Kurashima (W) (4) and Vrabic, Asay (4); T.Waldrop (L), Dunegan (6) and C.Morgan.

Highlights — For NTH, Luke Jeffrey had a single; Brandon Curley had a single and 2 RBIs; Drew Dransfield had a RBI; Austin Kurashima was the winning pitcher in relief and was 2 for 2 with a walk and 2 RBIs. For Clinton, Jordan Branz had a single, double and RBI; Logan Waldrop was 2 for 2 with a RBI; Brody Jacobs had a single and 2 walks; Cole Morgan had 2 doubles and a run scored; Taylor Morgan had a double and 2 RBIs.

Next — North Terre Haute advances to the Indiana Little League 10-11s State Tournament. NTH is also the host team and will play its first game against a team to be determined at 8 p.m. on Thursday.

        

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