West Covina eliminates South Hills from world series
Germany gets first win in more than 10 years
West Covina, California lost the first game of the West Zone tournament before rallying through the loser’s bracket to win it.
After dropping their first game at Lew Hays Field Saturday, West Covina is hoping to repeat the feat at the Pony League World Series.
Two six-run innings and a pair of home runs by Aaron Morales helped keep the dream alive in a 12-4 victory over South Hills Sunday night.
South Hills was eliminated from the tournament. West Covina plays Hidalgo, Texas in an elimination game 12:30 p.m. Monday.
Neither team had a hit until West Covina broke through for their first six-run frame in the third.
Travis Partida singled to right-center, stole second and scored on an RBI single to right field by Adam Marquez.
An error at second base kept the inning going and West Covina took advantage.
Brandon Chavez ripped a two-run double off the centerfield fence.
South Hills made a pitching change, lifting starter Adam Haupricht for Tate Foster, but West Covina kept the rally going.
Jorge Ospino greeted Foster with a no-doubt two-run homer over the left field fence. Aaron Morales followed by hitting a homer to right on the next pitch.
Morales also had a two-run homer during a six-run fifth inning.
South Hills got three runs in the fourth, which was highlighted by an RBI single by Tate Foster and an RBI double from Owen Ferko.
Germany, 8-3
Entering Sunday it had been a decade since Paderborn, Germany had a win at the Pony League World Series, but that streak is over.
Germany defeated Bay County, Mich., in an elimination game.
“Yesterday’s loss was tough, but we were confident we could come back today and play a better game,” Germany manager Heiko Schumacher said. “We played a great game today and fortunately were able to come home with the win.”
The last win for Germany was a 12-0 victory in five innings over Washington County in 2016. Elian Genter pitched a five-inning no-hitter in that game.
That was also the last time a team from the European Zone won a game. Bay County went 0-2 in the tournament.
Germany will play Mexico in another elimination game at 10 a.m. Monday.
Jon Duesing didn’t have a no-hitter Sunday, but he was strong on the mound.
He struck out 11 over 6.1 innings and allowed only five hits and did not walk a batter.
“It was a combination of him being very mature for his age and having the experience of pitching in big games like the European Championships,” Schumacher said about Duesing’s success.
Felix Blesing finished a homer short of the cycle. He went 3-for 4 with a pair of RBI and runs scored.
After Duesing struck out the side in the top of the first, Germany scored a pair of runs in the bottom half.
Duesing led off with a walk and went to third on a double by Blesing. With two outs, Matthes Schwarcke poked a pitch the other way to right field for a two-run single.
Bay County got a run back in the second. Grant Herbolsheimer singled and moved to second on an error. Jett Gohr brought him in with a single to center field.
Germany took advantage of two Bay County errors to plate three runs in the second. There were only two hits in the inning, but one run came in on a safety squeeze by Duesing. Another run came in on an error on a wide throw to first base from shortstop Landon Deford and Blesing brought in the third run on a single past third base.
Another run came in for Germany in the third when Max Maibaum singled home Ben Nussbaum.
Blesing belted a triple to left-center that scored Raphael Acbas, who reached on a two-base error in the fourth. Blesing scored on a sacrifice fly by Butt that made it 8-1.
Bay County scored twice in the seventh on a double by Keegan Tingley.
Chinese Taipei, 14-1
Defending champion Chinese Taipei appears to have a strong squad again after a convincing win in its debut against Mexico.
Three runs in the first inning helped Chinese Taipei get an early lead and built on it with a run in the fourth, three more in the fifth and one in the sixth and put an exclamation point on the day by scoring six runs in the top of the seventh.
Lo Yu-Yen, Yeh Li and Zen Kai-Xiang had three consecutive RBI singles in the first inning, all with two outs.
Li homered in the seventh inning.
Cai Shang Hong, Zhang Tang Young, Lo Yu Yen, and Zeng Kai Xiang had two hits apiece for Chinese Taipei.
Chinese Taipei scored four runs on wild pitches and one more on a balk.
Mexico’s lone run came on a bases-loaded walk by Axel Mendivil in the sixth inning.
Chen Chang Ruei pitched 3.2 innings of relief, allowing two hits with two strikeouts and no walks to earn the win.
Iker Leyva took the loss, allowing three runs over three innings pitched.