Mustang rally ends Pirate tourney run

SPANGLE–After winning two "stay-alive" games against Touchet and Wellpinit, the Pirates' post-season run was cut short by a bottom-of-the-seventh rally by the Northport Mustangs, who walked away with a 6-5 win, capping Pomeroy's season at 12-9, and like so many games in baseball, it came down to a single pitch.

Pomeroy won 11-6 over the Wellpinit Redskins on May 10 to advance to the Northport game. Northport, the second-place team out of District 7 behind undefeated Almira Coulee-Hartline, will face Wilbur-Creston-Keller in the opening round May 20.

The Pirates trailed Northport 3-2 through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, then counted three runs in the top of the seventh for a 5-3 lead. The Pirates got eight hits and left seven on base.

"We had been hitting the ball," commented Head Coach Kyler Lovgren, "but we just struggled to generate runs throughout the game. [The loss] was one that hurt pretty good when all was said and done."

In the top of the seventh, Pirate batters Jayden Slusser and Jett Slusser, eight and nine in the batting line up, both made good contact with the baseball, Lovgren said, but the Mustang defense was on point, throwing both out at first.

Two away, Trevin Kimble stepped to the plate and hit a hard ground ball between first and second. The play was muffed and Kimble reached due to an error.

Gunner Magill worked pitcher Dawson Barbault to a full count, fouling a couple off to hang in there. Magill outlasted the pitcher and was aboard by base on balls.

Two on and Trace Roberts up, Northport walked him to load the bases for the force at any bag. "Trace had been driving the ball hard on Northport," Lovgren said, "so they intentionally walked him to load the bases."

Brodie Magill came up with two out and bases loaded, and outlasted the pitcher for another walk, and a 3-3 tie as Kimble tapped his toe coming on home.

Ollie Severs ripped a line-drive single, scoring Gunner Magill and Roberts, and giving the Buccaneers a 5-3 lead. The next batter was struck out to retire the Pirates and set up a nail-biting bottom of the seventh.

With Roberts pitching in relief, Northport's first two up smacked hits to safely reach base and another Mustang walked to load the bases. Roberts then struck out the next two batters.

With bases loaded, two out and a 5-3 lead, the next batter worked the count full, but held out for a walk, making it 5-4. The next batter also got walked, and tying it 5-5.

"It was a tough situation," Lovgren said. "The Northport batters were not swinging the bat and Trace was hitting the strike zone at about the numbers consistently. Unfortunately, we were getting the calls about fifty percent in this zone and, ultimately, we tried to adjust to the strike zone and ended up hitting a batter, bringing in the final, walk-off run."

Kimble pitched five innings of three hit, four walk baseball, striking out 10 with no earned runs. Roberts struck out three and walked six.

"We had a great performance on the mound from Ollie Severs and Brodie Magill," said Lovgren said of the stay-alive win over Wellpinit. "Both pitchers had to adjust to the [rainy] situation and we experienced a few more walks than we wanted, but they were able to find their strides and get the job done.

Severs threw five innings of the game, striking out 10, allowing three hits and only three earned runs. Brodie Magill came in and finished the final two innings, fanning five, giving up no hits, and only one earned run. Severs walked six and Magill four.

"We are getting extraordinary play from the plate with Jett Slusser," Lovgren added, "who went three for four today after going four for four last game."

The home-team Pirates started the bottom of the first behind 1-0, but clapped on three runs and didn't trail for the rest of the game.

Three more runs in the second made it 6-1, but the Redskins chalked up three in the third while the Bucs counted two more in the bottom frame for an 8-4 lead. Pomeroy tacked on three more runs in the fifth to solidify the win.

Northport 6, Pomeroy 5 (5-13)

R H E

Pom 002 000 3-5 8 3

Nor 300 000 3-6 4 1

Battery: Pomeroy-Kimble, Roberts (6) and Severs. Northport-Barbault and J. Beardslee.

Hits: Pomeroy-Kimble 2 (2-2b), Roberts 2(2-2b), Severs, Vecchio, Ja. Slusser, Je. Slusser (2b). Northport-Judd, D. Barbault (2b), Snaidmen (3b), Jensen.

Pomeroy 11, Wellpinit 6 (5-2)

R H E

Wel 103 011 0-6 3 1

Pom 332 030 x-11 13 1

Battery: Wellpinit-Rusty, Moebear (3) and Unknown. Pomeroy-Severs, B. Magill (6) and Kimble.

Hits: Wellpinit-Jace, Rusty, Jesse. Pomeroy-Kimble 2 (2b, 3b), G. Magill, T. Roberts 2 (2b), B. Magill, Severs, Bryson, Vecchio, Ja. Slusser, Je. Slusser 3.