LA GRANDE – With its season on the line, The Dalles 12U All Stars used a standout defensive play in a critical moment to stave off a late rally.
TD was nursing a 6-5 lead, with two outs and two runners in scoring position, and reliever Styles DeLeon on the mound.
On a passed ball, the tying run attempts to score from third base, but catcher Nathan Hedges recovered the ball and made a flip to DeLeon for the tag at home for the final out, as TD scored a 6-5 triumph over Wilshire/Riverside during consolation play Monday at the Oregon State Little League Championships in La Grande.
TD head coach Ken Brock said Hedges showed great instincts to get back to the ball quickly and then making the perfect toss back to DeLeon, who showed awareness to get to the plate in time.
After the out, DeLeon was bubbling over with exuberance as the team bolted to its dugout.
“It was a great experience to watch Styles come off the field like that, fired up with that much passion and energy,” coach Brock said. “It was awesome. You just love seeing kids be in the moment that much where they come off the field with their fists pumping and riled up, especially on a play that decided the ballgame. Those are moments that are rewarding to me as a coach.”
Wilshire-Riverside led 1-0 through the first half inning, but TD’s leadoff hitter, Kade Wilson, tied it up with a solo home run.
TD then broke the game open with five-second inning runs on two hits, two walks and two errors.
Nolan Donivan reached on a walk to start the inning, and he later scored on an error.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Peyton Beeks smashed a three-run triple, scoring Diego Gonzalez, Wilson and DeLeon, and he wound up crossing home on a passed ball with Hedges at the plate, making it a 6-1 margin.
From the third inning on, however, The Dalles managed one hit and had another batter reach on an error.
The score remained 6-1 until the top of the fifth inning, when Wilshire-Riverside scratched across four runs on two hits and two walks to get to within a 6-5 score.
Andy Maney allowed one hit, but retired the No. 4 and 5 hitters on a flyout and a strikeout to end the frame.
Wilson, TD’s starting pitcher, lasted 3 2/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits with seven strikeouts to pick up the win.
At one point in his effort, Wilson retired nine of 10 batters, from the first through fourth innings, six on strikeouts.
DeLeon earned the save.
Sunday, TD dispatched Del Norte, Calif. by a 10-3 score for its first win of the tournament.
In both wins, coach Brock sent out six different pitchers, Wilson, Manatu Crichton-Tunai, Braden Schwartz and Riley Brock, and had Maney and DeLeon help slam the door shut in the late innings of both contests.
“Styles came in and closed two games really strong for us,” coach Brock said. “I had a good outing by Riley yesterday (Sunday) and I had another great outing by Kade today. We are chipping along here getting some good innings from our long relievers too. In these last two games, we are playing well enough to win, but we are still not playing the type of baseball we are capable of playing.”
Against Wilshire-Riverside, The Dalles totaled six hits, received two walks and took advantage of three Wilshire-Riverside errors.
DeLeon was 2 for 3 with a stolen base and two runs, Wilson had his solo home run and scored another run and Beeks finished 1 for 3 with a triple, three RBIs and a run scored.
Hedges went 1 for 2 with a walk, Donivan scored a run and Gonzalez had a hit and scored a run from the No. 9 slot.
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