Rise and shine: Washington County earns spot in title game
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Teammates salute as Washington County’s Braden Radue returns from his third-inning home run Wednesday morning in the Pony League World Series.
Washington County’s Brayden Radue lines up a Fernando Quiroga pitch for a two-run home run in the third inning of the Pony League World Series game Wednesday morning against Monterrey, Mexico, at Lew Hays Pony Field on the morning of August 16. Radue’s homer opened the scoring in the 9-5 victory that put Washington County into the championship game.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Gavin Dantry launches a shot over the fence at Lew Hays Pony Field in the fourth inning of the game against Monterrey, Mexico, putting Washington County up 4-0.
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County’s Aaron Harshman lines up the throw to first base to complete a double play in the fourth inning of the Pony League World Series game against Monterrey, Mexico, Wednesday at Lew Hays Pony Field.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Anticipating the throw to the plate, Washington County's Keegan Williams dives to score from third on a sacrifice fly by Gavin Dantry in the fifth inning.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The pickoff throw to second base bounces in front of Monterrey's Enrique Hinojosa, allowing Washington's Ryan Huey to steal second and move to third in the fifth inning.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Washington County's Braden Bednar gets the forceout at second and looks for the throw to first in the fifth inning.
Long days and tough losses like Washington County endured late Tuesday in the Pony League World Series – including a 4-2 setback against Monterrey, Mexico, when the final out was recorded with the clock ticking toward midnight – can be difficult for players and coaches to shake off.
“I told the guys that I slept like a baby last night – I woke up every hour on the hour,” Washington County manager Anthony Wuenstel said.
Apparently, it’s easier for young players to bounce back, forget the recent past and move on than it is for coaches.
Washington County’s Brayden Radue and Ryan Huey were well-rested and ready to go Wednesday morning when the host team met Monterrey in a rematch with a spot in the championship game on the line.
Radue provided Washington County with an early lead by driving in four runs, including two on a long home run in the third inning, and Huey, a prototypical crafty lefty, took a shutout into the sixth inning as the host team rolled to a 9-5 victory at Lew Hays Pony Field.
The win put Washington County into the championship game Wednesday night against Edogawa, Japan.
It marked the first time in 25 years that a team from Washington County advanced to the title contest. Washington finished as the runner-up in 1998 to Chinese Taipei.
Washington also played in the final game in 1985, 1982 and won the championship in 1955. Monongahela won the World Series in 1954 and finished as the runner-up in 1976.
Washington County didn’t waste time lamenting that it squandered an opportunity to clinch a spot in the final with the loss Tuesday night. The hosts looked at Wednesday as a mulligan and turned in a dominant performance.
“I slept well. Good six hours,” said Radue, the Washington County first baseman who went 3-for-3.
“I was ready to come back. We needed to jump on (Monterrey) early and then put the throttle down.”
That’s exactly what Washington County did as it scored the game’s first nine runs.
Radue made it 1-0 only three batters into the game as he hit the second of back-to-back doubles off Monterrey starting pitcher Luis Guajardo, who pitched the final inning Tuesday night.
Troy Stimpson, who scored three runs, hit the first double and crossed home plate when Radue doubled the opposite way to left centerfield.
Monterrey had chances early against Huey. The Mexico Zone champion had a runner on third base with two outs in the first inning, and runners on second and third with one out in the second but did not score. Huey struck out Eliud Garcia and Ali Villa, the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters in the Monterrey lineup, to end the second inning.
“Huey really did his job,” Wuenstel said. “We realized during the week that Monterrey struggled with breaking balls. Huey has two good breaking balls and we thought he would be a good matchup against them. We knew he would be good.”
Huey pitched 6 2/3 innings. He scattered seven hits and was charged with allowing five runs but pitched much more effectively than his final line indicates. He walked two and struck out seven. More importantly, he kept Monterrey’s hitters off balance by throwing his curveball for strikes in any count.
Monterrey manager Gerardo Lara said he thought his team was worn down. It was playing its fourth game in less than 24 hours.
“Our swings were slow,” Lara said through an interpreter. “It was difficult because the pitcher (Quiroja) we had in there had pitched last night, then we got back late, had dinner and got a little sleep. We got tired.”
Washington County made it 3-0 in the third when Stimpson, who was 3-for-4, was hit by a pitch with one out. Radue followed with a home run to right centerfield on the first pitch of the at-bat.
Washington County center fielder Gavin Dantry then struck one for all players who hit at the bottom of the batting order. With one out in the fourth, Dantry, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, belted a solo homer to left field that made the score 4-0.
“Gavin took advantage of the opportunity,” Wuenstel said. “His older brother played in the World Series, so this is a family affair. That home run was an incredible moment.”
Dantry’s home run came off reliever Enrique Cuevas, one of four pitchers used by Monterrey.
“We only have 12 players here,” Lara pointed out. “We had two pitchers who weren’t here, including one who is our No. 1 pitcher. The guys we had here wore down. They pitched too much.”
Washington County used a five-run fifth inning to forge a 9-0 lead. Dantry had a sacrifice fly, Alex Eslep scored on a wild pitch, Huey and Stimpson had RBI singles and Radue drove in his fourth run with a double.
Monterrey, to its credit, battled back with two runs in the sixth and scored three in the seventh on Roberto Saucedo’s third home run.