World Series: Rockledge Wins, South Beaches Falls
By Ed Pierce // August 13, 2012
Both Teams Sharp In First Games
TAYLOR, MICHIGAN – The amazing All-Stars from Rockledge picked up right where they left off at the Southeastern regionals by capturing their first pool game of the Junior League Baseball World Series at Heritage Field here Sunday night.
Rockledge, now 17-0 since starting All-Stars competition in late June, kept on rolling by posting a 12-10 victory over Oil Belt, Texas on Sunday evening.
The game was an uncharacteristic slugfest for Rockledge, which has turned in some outstanding pitching performances throughout district, sectional, state and regional play.
But this time it was offensive production that helped Rockledge claim a win, according to Rockledge assistant coach Mike Spinneweber.
“Rockledge pulled out a victory in a hit fest with Texas,” Spinneweber said.
For Rockledge, which scored in every inning of the game except the fifth inning, Drew Parrish went 3 for 5 on the day against Southwestern Regional champion Oil Belt with a double. Kevin Clanton also went 3 for 5, while Mason Studstill was 2 for 5 with a two-run homer.
Trevor Payne also contributed for Rockledge going 2 for 3 in the game and Justin Robedeau was 2 for 4 against Oil Belt pitching.
Despite the batting heroics, the game remained tied at 10-10 going into the top of the sixth inning. Rockledge loaded the bases and Oil Belt pitchers helped the cause by walking in the two final runs of the game for a 12-10 Rockledge win.
Rockledge (1-0) meets U.S. Central Regional champion North Canton, Ohio (0-0) at 11 a.m. today in its second pool game.
Senior League
The South Beaches/West Melbourne All-Stars played a strong game in their first game of the Senior League Baseball World Series at Bangor, Maine, but fell to U.S. Western Regional champion Lemon Grove, 4-3.
Trailing 1-0, South Beaches tallied two runs in the top of the third inning.
Cooper Christiano drew a two-out walk and advanced to second base on a single by Matt Doran. Christiano then stole third base and came in to score when a Lemon Grove player committed a throwing error.
Carson Jackson then drove in Doran on a base hit to left field, giving South Beaches a 2-1 lead.
Lemon Grove pushed across a run to tie the game at 2-2, but Doran connected for a run-scoring single in the top of the seventh inning to put South Beaches/West Melbourne back in front 3-2.
With the tying and winning runs on first and second base in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lemon Grove’s Deandre Simpson swatted a game-ending double to give Lemon Grove a 4-3 victory.
South Beaches/West Melbourne will play its second pool game at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor against the U.S Southwest champion University Park of Houston, Texas.
