Aug 11, 2025 By Jerin Steele 4 min read

It may have been the most impactful one-pitch appearance in Pony League World Series history.

Braxten Thompson pinch-hit for Washington County with the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning and sent the first pitch he saw over the left-field fence for a grand slam.

It broke the game open and helped Washington County beat Corpus

Christi, 10-5, in the nightcap Monday at Lew Hays Pony Field.

“It was a first-pitch curveball,” Thompson said. “I was actually sitting fastball, but I saw it was just floating in there.

“I knew I hit it well, but I wasn’t sure it was high enough, but I watched it go out.

Washington County is one win away from playing in the Pony League World Series championship game.

Corpus Christi plays Bay County, Mich., in an elimination game at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and Washington County will play the winner at 7 p.m.

Thompson is only the second player from Washington County to hit a grand slam in the Pony League World Series. He joined Patrick Sadler, who did it in 1997.

“I have a book in my back pocket and beside Braxton’s name it says power,” Washington manager John Przybylinski said. “We were talking before that inning and decided we would pinch hit Braxton at some point in the inning. When he came up with the bases loaded, I was thinking that would be a tough spot to come into cold, but then he sees one pitch and sends it 350 feet.”

Lucas Daniels also homered for Washington County, sending a majestic shot over the left-field fence in the second inning. It gave Washington County a 3-2 lead.

“It’s definitely the biggest home run I’ve hit in my life,” Daniels said. “Everyone I know is here. It’s been a dream of mine to play in the Pony League World Series. I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid.”

After Daniels’ home run, Luke Henderson and Carson Simmers singled and Niko Vitale walked to load the bases. Henderson scored on a wild pitch and Corpus Christi manager Andy Rodriguez lifted starter AJ Ortiz for Franky Macias.

Macias got struck out two in a row to end the inning.

Washington County got a close call to eventually go its way in the bottom of the second. Corpus Christi’s Jed Smith hit a ball to right field and Simmers made a diving play on it, but the umpires ruled he trapped the ball.

Przybylinski asked the umpires to meet and after a lengthy discussion they changed the call to an out.

Washington County got a run in the top of the first, but Corpus Christi answered with a pair of its own.

JD Carvajal was hit by a pitch from Washington County starter Ryan Josh Garcia reached on a single that hit off Lukas’ mitt and stopped dead between the mound and second. Then JJ De Los Santos roped a single to left field to bring in Caravajal. It was De Los Santos’ ninth consecutive hit which tied a Pony League World Series record. De Los Santos’ streak ended in his next at-bat when he grounded into a double play.

Garcia scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-1.

Corpus Christi got a pair of runs on an error in the fourth.

Lincoln Ketter had an RBI single in the fifth, but was denied two RBIs thanks to an excellent relay from Niko Vitale to Luke Henderson to Daniels, who tagged out Dash Guerra at home plate for the final out in the inning.

Lukas pitched four innings and allowed four runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Vitale pitched two innings of relief allowing one run and Keegan Widenhofer pitched a clean seventh with two strikeouts to finish off the game.

Simmers had three hits.

Now Washington County will wait to see who its opponent will be tomorrow night. They’re two wins away from being the first team from Washington County team to win the World Series in 70 years.

“Take nothing from Corpus Christi,” Przybylinski said. “They’re a well put together team that hits the ball well. Regardless of what happens tomorrow morning, we just have to be ready for whoever we get.”