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Jamestown, Hawaii, Florida begin World Series 2-0

By MATT SPIELMAN and CHRISTIAN STORMS 15 min read

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. -- After the opening weekend of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series, host Jamestown could not have asked for a better start. Following up an 8-2 win over Nederland, Texas, on Saturday, Jamestown defeated Westfield, Massachusetts, 13-1 in six innings courtesy of the mercy rule at Diethrick Park on Sunday evening.

Massachusetts loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, but a rain delay made Brady Panis wait over an hour for his at-bat.

It was well worth the wait for Jamestown as pitcher Brayden Crawford induced a grounder back to the mound to start a 1-2-3 double play that got the hosts out of the jam.

Jamestown struck first in the third inning when Crawford walked and Dominik Csont knocked an RBI double that opened the floodgates. Csont scored on a sacrifice bunt by Joe Surace, Jaxon Watts scored after a dropped third strike and Damon Bell reached home to make it 4-0.

Massachusetts had a chance to immediately respond the next inning, but poor baserunning and great fielding maintained the Jamestown lead. The first four batters all reached base for Massachusetts, but a relay from Anthony Stewart in center field to Crawford and then Ryland Posker at the plate prevented Jake Moltenbrey from scoring. Ryan Lemieux was also victim of great fielding by Jamestown with Surace in right field throwing to cutoff Josh Cowan at first and then Posker again at home to turn a double play.

Instead of a back-and-forth ballgame, Jamestown tacked on another nine runs over the last three innings to pull away for the mercy-rule victory.

Csont was the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game for Jamestown after going 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs. Surace had two RBIs and Liam Mulkins hit a double during his one at-bat.

Jaedon Badillo was the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game for Massachusetts after hitting a single and scoring his team's only run of the night.

Jamestown will have Monday off and return to action against Ohio Valley Region champion Janesville, Wisconsin, on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Massachusetts (0-1) also returns Tuesday at 11 a.m. against Southeast, Missouri.

HAWAII 4, MISSOURI 0

Through two days of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series, Mililani, Hawaii, has been nearly flawless defensively.

The Pacific Southwest Region champions are 2-0 in the American Division, thanks to their pitching and defense.

Ezra Pule-Nicholas tossed five innings of shutout, one-hit relief, striking out six as Hawaii beat Southeast, Missouri, 4-0 in Game 5 of the tournament Sunday morning at Diethrick Park.

Entering after a pair of shutout innings from starter Shyne-Don Sanchez, Pule-Nicholas needed just 61 pitches to navigate the final 17 batters of the game. The only base runners the right-hander allowed came in the fifth inning when the Midwest Plains Region champion's Parker Jacobson led off with a single and Eli Horrell was hit by a pitch with one out. But Hawaii got out of the inning with a popout and a groundout to keep the shutout intact.

Pitching with a 3-0 lead, Pule-Nicholas - his team's Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game - got the final six outs with three strikeouts, two popouts and a groundout.

Hawaii jumped on top early as leadoff batter Justice Gabrillo singled, went to second on a groundout and third on an error before scoring on Shiloh Irvine's sacrifice fly.

In Hawaii's second inning, Isaac Saoit and Stansen Verbeckmoes led off with back-to-back singles before eventually scoring on a wild pitch and a passed ball, respectively.

Hawaii's final run came in the sixth. Logan Kawakami was hit by a pitch to open the frame, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lowen Badayos-Asanion and scored on an RBI double by Chaysten Fuentes.

Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Waylon Basler was the tough-luck loser on the mound for Missouri. The right-hander threw a complete-game seven-hitter with no walks and one hit batter.

Missouri (0-1) returns to action at 1:30 p.m. today against Janesville, Wisconsin, while Hawaii will follow that game at 4:30 p.m. against Nederland, Texas.

WISCONSIN 12, TEXAS 0

Janesville, Wisconsin, strung together four consecutive hits in a six-run fifth inning to complete a 12-0 mercy-rule win over Nederland, Texas, in Game 6 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Sunday at Diethrick Park.

Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Lucas Martin got all but the final out on the mound for Wisconsin, striking out three while allowing just two hits and two walks. He faced just one batter over the minimum, benefitting from a Texas runner getting thrown out attempting to steal in the second inning and an inning-ending double play in the fourth inning. Cayden James threw just one pitch in the bottom of the fifth before a second Texas runner was thrown out attempting to steal to end the game.

Wisconsin scored three runs in the first inning without the benefit of a hit, taking advantage of a walk and three errors by the Southwest Region champions.

Jordan Timm singled and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Ohio Valley Region champions a 4-0 lead in the second inning.

In the fourth, Colton Lund, Timm and Martin hit consecutive singles before Russell Tourdot's two-run single broke the game open.

With a 6-0 lead, Wisconsin put the game away with a six-run fifth. Robert Mosley, Ryan Trumpy and Graham Miller walked to open the frame before Timm hit an RBI single, Martin hit a two-run single, Tourdot hit an RBI single and James hit an RBI double, all with one out. Mosley then grounded into an RBI fielder's choice to cap the scoring.

Trevor Chaney, who singled and reached on an error, was the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game for Texas.

Wisconsin (1-1) returns to American Division play today at 1:30 p.m. against Southeast, Missouri, while Texas (0-2) will follow that game at 4:30 p.m. against Mililani, Hawaii.

While you can have a perfect game on the mound there is not one for a performance at the plate, but if there was it could be used to describe Tallahassee, Florida's performance against Puerto Rico in Game 7 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series with a 21-0 mercy-rule win at Diethrick Park on Sunday.

FLORIDA 21, PUERTO RICO 0

Hits were not hard to come by for the Southeast champions as they plated six runs in the first, eight in the second and another seven in the third. Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Harvey Reichert blew the game open in the bottom of the first when he connected on a two-run double to make it 4-0. He later hit an RBI double and walked before scoring his third run of the game.

Florida also had big performances from Owen Moore, hitting a two-run single in the first; Ben Campbell hit an RBI double; CJ Using went 2 for 3 with a two-run double and scored three times; Alex McGee added a two-run double and finished with three RBIs; Grayson Goeke hit a two-run double and had an RBI walk; and Whit Jacobs got the offense started in the first with a sacrifice fly and then added a two-run double in the second.

Puerto Rico was unable to get a rhythm at the plate and the only time it threatened to score was in the top of the second inning with the bases loaded and one out. Jaydshua Rosado worked a walk to begin the inning and then one-out singles by Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Gabriel Terron and Justin Torres loaded the bases.

However, a short grounder back to Gabe Harper on the mound began a 1-2-3 double play to get out of the jam and kept the game 6-0.

Florida moved to 2-0 in the tournament after adding 15 more runs the final two innings and will take the next two days off before returning to action against Atlantic Shore, New Jersey, on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

Puerto Rico will look to get back on track today against Woodland, Washington, at 7 p.m.

SATURDAY

HAWAII 8, WISCONSIN 0

A pair of early uprisings lifted Mililani, Hawaii, to victory in the opening game of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Saturday at Diethrick Park.

Isaac Saoit was in the middle of them both.

Hawaii's No. 5 hitter smashed an RBI triple during a three-run first inning and an RBI double during a five-run third inning as the Pacific Southwest champions beat Janesville, Wisconsin, 8-0 to open American Division play.

Lowen Badayos-Asanion earned the win on the mound for Hawaii. The left-hander allowed no runs on four hits and three walks while striking out two.

Hawaii jumped on Wisconsin in its first at-bats of the game. Justice Ryder Gabrillo and Logan Kawakami led off with back-to-back walks before Ezra Pule-Nicholas singled to load the bases. After a pickoff and a groundout, a wild pitch plated Gabrillo with the first run before Saoit's RBI triple. Stansen Verbeckmoes followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0.

In Hawaii's half of the third, Kawakami reached on a fielder's choice for the first out before stealing second and third. Pule-Nicholas then hit an RBI single and stole second ahead of Chaysten Fuentes getting hit by a pitch. After a double-steal, Pule-Nicholas scored on a wild pitch and Saoit hit his RBI double. Following a pitching change, Verbeckmoes and Shyne-Don Sanchez hit RBI singles to make it 8-0.

Wisconsin had its chances to get back in the game, leaving the bases loaded in the second inning before leaving two runners stranded in both the third and fourth innings.

Channing Sing-Chow pitched the final three shutout innings for Hawaii to earn the save. He allowed two hits and hit a batter.

Robert Mosley, Lucas Martin and Cayden James handled the pitching for the Ohio Valley Region champion. They combined to allow eight hits while walking five and hitting a batter. They struck out three.

Saoit and James were the Ron Tellefsen Players of the Game for their respective teams.

NEW JERSEY 11, PUERTO RICO 2

Atlantic Shore, New Jersey, took advantage of five Puerto Rico errors, including a pair in a six-run seventh inning en route to an 11-2 win in Game 2 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Saturday at Diethrick Park.

The Middle Atlantic Region champions pounded out 10 hits and scored in every inning except the third to move to 1-0 in the National Division.

Landon Gracia and Gavin Colon each had a pair of hits and scored twice for New Jersey while Grayson Zacchi gave his team a solid start on the mound before three relievers finished things off.

Cole Leusner led off the bottom of the first with a double and scored on Colon's RBI groundout to make it 1-0.

In the second, New Jersey scored six unearned runs after a pair of two-out errors. Owen Perez led off with a single and stole second before Reid Grasso walked. After a pair of outs, Gracia's flyball to left field was dropped, allowing both runners to score. After Nicholas Gelegonya walked, Colon hit an RBI single and Robert Scattone hit an RBI double ahead of another dropped flyball that plated two more runs to make it 7-0.

Gelegonya doubled and scored on an error in the fourth; Leusner reached on an error and scored on Gracia's RBI double in the fifth; and Colon and Liam Higginbottom both singled and scored on an error in the sixth.

Zacchi, Higginbottom, Declan Bridgeman and Gracia combined on a two-hitter with six strikeouts and eight walks on the mound. They also hit four batters.

Robinson Santiago singled to lead off the game and Arnaldo Duran also singled for Puerto Rico. Jaydshua Rosado had an RBI groundout and Duran was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate their team's only runs.

Zabdiel Lugo and Jersuhann Negron combined for five walks and did not strike out a batter on the mound.

Santiago and Gracia were their team's Ron Tellefsen Players of the Game.

New Jersey will play New England Region champion Bethel, Connecticut, at 11 a.m. today.

FLORIDA 8, WASHINGTON 5

After falling behind for the first time all game, Tallahassee-Leon, Florida, scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to beat Woodland, Washington, 8-5 in Game 3 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Saturday at Diethrick Park.

The Pacific Northwest Region champions took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning before the Southeast Region champions answered. Harvey Reichert led off the inning by reaching on an error before Owen Moore's sacrifice bunt pushed him to second base. Benjamin Campbell then reached on an error and stole second before Evan House's RBI single tied the game. Leadoff batter Robert McGee then gave Florida the lead for good with a two-run double to right-center field. Whit Jacobs added a sacrifice fly before the inning was over to make it a three-run game.

Gabe Harper walked and scored on an error in the first inning before McGee singled and scored on an error in the third inning to make it 2-0 Florida.

In the fifth, McGee walked, stole second and eventually scored on a wild pitch while Jacobs walked and courtesy runner Jack Wilson later scored on Cole Miller's RBI single to make it 4-0.

But Washington answered with a five-run bottom of the frame. Peyton Thompson and Gavin Chartier drew one-out walks before a walk to leadoff batter Lincoln Horn loaded the bases. Jason Kain then drove in a run when he reached on an error and Cooper Ginter hit a sacrifice fly for the second out. Drake Nguyen singled to load the bases and Brendan Brown drew an RBI walk before Keithan Woody's RBI single tied the game and Nguyen scored the go-ahead run when a throw home from the outfield got away from Florida's catcher.

But Washington only held that lead for four batters before Florida regained control.

McGee started for Florida before Miller and Wilson finished on the mound. The trio combined for seven strikeouts and seven walks while scattering four hits.

Horn, Zachary Muelheim and Karlie Bok handled the pitching for Washington, combining for a strikeout and eight walks while allowing 10 hits.

McGee and Ginter were their team's Ron Tellefsen Players of the Game.

Washington is off until 7 p.m. today when it takes on Puerto Rico.

JAMESTOWN 8, TEXAS 2

Liam Mulkins pitched three shutout innings of relief and Jamestown took command with seven runs in the middle innings to beat Nederland, Texas, 8-2 in Game 4 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Saturday night at Diethrick Park.

The Southwest Region champions scored single runs in the first and third innings to lead 2-0 before the host team sent 10 batters to the plate, taking advantage of four walks, a hit batter and an error to score four runs - all with two outs - in the bottom of the third.

After a lineout and a strikeout to open the inning, Joseph Surace reached on an infield single. Dominik Csont then singled before Jaxon Watts walked to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Madden Wolfe drew a walk to force in Jamestown's first run. A wild pitch with Noah Lindell at the plate allowed Csont to score from third and then the Texas pitcher attempted to throw out Watts heading to third, but the errant throw went down the left-field line, allowing Watts to also score on the play. Lindell and Brayden Beckstrom followed with walks before Brayden Crawford was hit by a pitch to force in the fourth run of the inning.

Mulkins came on in relief to start the fourth inning and retired nine of the 13 batters he faced, five via strikeouts. By the time he left the game after walking the leadoff batter in the seventh, Jamestown had built an 8-2 lead.

In the host team's fourth inning, Mulkins led off with a walk, stole second and went to third on a throwing error before Surace walked. Csont then reached on a bunt single to load the bases ahead of Watts' bases-clearing three-run double that broke the game open.

Josh Cowan added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning for Jamestown before Crawford got the final three outs on the mound. After a strikeout to open the seventh, Texas' No. 9 hitter walked, but the game came to an end when Jamestown turned a 5-4-3 double play.

Wyatt Hill, Peter Shay, Trevor Chaney and Bronson Delage combined to walk 13 and hit a batter while striking out 10 on the mound for Texas.

Damon Bell threw the opening three innings for Jamestown, striking out three while walking one and hitting three batters.

Mulkins and Texas' Jake Collins - who was hit by a pitch, singled, stole a base and scored a run - were the Ron Tellefsen Players of the Game for their respective teams.

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