HAMILTON PARK ADVANCES TO JUNIOR LEAGUE WORLD SERIES

The finals of the Junior League Baseball Central Region game at Georgetown Wednesday, August 7 was won by the host team Hamilton Park All-Stars. This was the second game of the day for both teams.

Hamilton Park started the game coming out swinging and running. Before the first inning was over Hamilton had six hits and seven stolen bases. Sengthong, Townsend, Hill, Merz, Leonard, Childers, Trowbridge, and Bishop all scored before Minnesota could retire the side. In essence the game was won at that point 8-0 after one inning. Kevin Merz was the winning pitcher.

This was an Olympic-style tournament with Hamilton Park winning their first game Saturday, August 3rd. Hamilton pitcher, A. J. Hill hit a home run in the first inning and that was enough to beat Wisconsin 1-0. Hill had 13 strikeouts. Sunday they beat Nebraska 5-2 but lost to Kentucky 2-1. This may have made Kentucky the favorite. Hamilton giving up only four runs in three games and winning two gave them the No. 2 seed in the single elimination tournament.

Michigan who beat Kansas 7-3 was then Hamilton’s first opponent. A. J. Hill had three rough innings and Hamilton fell behind 2-0. In the fourth Hill hit a home run with one on to tie the game and Nathan Childers drove in the third run and Hamilton never trailed again as they beat Michigan 7 to 5.

A surprise, Minnesota upset Kentucky 7-5, which made Hamilton’s opponent in the Finals.

This Olympic-style was the third time the Central Region used this type of tournament. The tournament attracted 12 teams: Illinois (Bradley-Bourbonnais), Indiana (Valparaiso), Iowa (Atlantic), Kansas (Baxter Springs), Kentucky (South London), Michigan (Midland), Minnesota (Itasca), Missouri (Joplin), Nebraska (Grand Island), Ohio (Canfield), Wisconsin (Oak Creek), and the host team Fort Wayne’s Hamilton Park. By a drawing, the twelve teams are placed in either Pool A, B, or C. After playing three games by each team, two are selected from each pool based on their record. The six teams then compete in a single elimination tournament. Missouri, Minnesota, Kansas, Michigan, Kentucky, and Hamilton qualified.

Hamilton Park now goes to the World Series at Taylor, Michigan starting August 12th. Nine teams will compete, 5 from the U.S. and 4 foreign countries. The Championship game is Friday, August 16 at 8pm. This game will have a tape delay broadcast on ESPN at 5pm Saturday. You can follow the series on the web just click on to www.cityoftaylor.com or www.littleleague.org tab on ‘World Series’ and then tab on ‘Junior Baseball’. Check it out!

(Final scores for all the games were not available. Went to press before all the games were over.) That’s the way I saw it.

 

Game Schedule for Hamilton Park

Hamilton Park Team is Central USA

 

Monday, August 12-Game #6 at 8pm

Final Score: USA East 10 vs. USA Central 4

 

Tuesday, August 13-Game #8 at 2pm

Final Score: USA West 11 vs. USA Central 1

 

Wednesday, August 14-Game #12 at 5pm

Final Score: USA Southwest 12 vs. USA Central 2

 

Thursday, August 15-Game #16 at 8pm

 

Friday, August 16-USA Final at 8pm

 

Saturday, August 17-International vs. USA at 5pm