News Detail

10

Jul, 2019

Jefferson holds off Martinsburg in District 6 LL final

Article in the Journal by Rick Kozlowski.  Photo of Jaxton Earl sliding into home.

https://www.journal-news.net/journal-news/jefferson-holds-off-martinsburg-in-district-ll-final/article_73393dfa-ff29-5261-acc4-97fb5d1a8c85.html

MOOREFIELD — Jefferson County is one place in West Virginia with no coal.

But the Jefferson County Little League has Cole, and the 12-year-old all-stars don’t mind about their player with the last name of Smith.

Cole Smith smacked a pair of doubles in his first two at-bats and scored Jefferson’s first run and drove in his team’s third run to tie the game. Then he scored the go-ahead run as smallish Jaxton Earl lined the ball down the right-field line for a three-run, inside-the-park home run.

 

It gave Jefferson a 6-3 lead in the third inning, and Jefferson made it hold up — barely — in a 10-9 victory in the Little League 12-year-old District 6 championship game on Wednesday at Moorefield Town Park.

Smith also started the squad’s fifth-inning rally by walking and scoring Jefferson’s seventh run.

It was a key inning because Martinsburg plated six runs during its final at-bat.

Jefferson fell behind 2-0 in the first inning as Martinsburg, which won on Tuesday to force Wednesday’s final in the double-elimination tournament, got off to a strong start with four hits.

Aiden Medina, Martinsburg’s starting pitcher, looped a single to left field to open the game. He stole two bases and scored on Christopher Alter’s sacrifice bunt. When Jefferson pitcher Connor Smith threw home, Alter reached first. Braeden Oviedo doubled, and Ben Reisenweber singled to score Martinsburg’s second run. However, a relay throw by shortstop Ryan Kelly arrived in time to cut down Oviedo at the plate.

Martinsburg extended its lead to 3-0 in the second inning as R.J. Brown and Medina both singled, and Jamere Brown’s sacrifice bunt scored R.J. Brown.

Jefferson scored the next 10 runs, though.

Cole Smith doubled to begin Jefferson’s second inning and to start the scoring.

Brady Roberts walked, and both he and Smith moved up a base on a wild pitch. Earls grounded out to first, plating Smith. Xander Granados’ infield single brought home Roberts, making the score 3-2.

Jefferson moved ahead 6-2 in the third inning, scoring all four runs with two outs. Kelly was at second on a fielder’s choice and a throwing error when Smith doubled to center field. Roberts followed with an infield single, and then Earls drilled a shot to the field field corner, past a diving outfielder, and third-base coach Chris Kinsler had his arms waving from the time Earls reached second base.

In the fifth, Cole Smith walked and eventually scored on Granados’ sacrifice fly. Other highlights of the inning included an RBI single by Darren Gilliam and a two-run hit by Sam Hefner.


Jefferson finished with 12 hits, led by Cole Smith’s two doubles and a pair of hits each by Gilliam and Jett Gross, the No. 9 hitter, who paired back-to-back 2-for-3 efforts.

Connor Smith pitched 4 2/3 innings to pick up the win. He gave up eight hits but just two after the second inning. Tanner Lukens finished the game and picked up a save.

However, he walked a pair of hitters, and Alter tripled to the fence in right field and scored on an overthrow at third, making it 10-6. Oviedo followed with his second double. After a walk and an out, Brett Pederson homered to left field, making the score 10-9.

Lukens ended the game with a strikeout.

Medina went 3 for 3 with a walk to lead Martinsburg’s offense. Jalen Blair doubled in a pinch-hitting appearance.

The game was moved from Petersburg to Moorefield Town Park after a pregame rainstorm deluged Michaels Field.

The game was delayed briefly by enough of a rain threat that the tarpaulin was placed on the all-dirt infield.

Jefferson heads to the state tournament beginning July 20 against tournament host Charleston Central.

 

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