An undefeated season looms even closer for the Stilly Valley senior Little League baseball team. After disposing of Marysville 6-1 to push their record to 18-0, the team needs only five more victories to run the table.
Stilly jumped on Marysville early as a leadoff double by Austin Baker and RBI single by Jake Campbell put them on the board. Michael Hamilton then doubled to give the home team a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the first inning.
In the second, Baker singled and stole second with two outs to ignite a Stilly rally. Brandon Pierce nearly tore the cover off the ball with a mammoth double over the head of the left fielder, scoring Baker. Chris Wenland followed with an RBI single and Stilly sat comfortably in control of the game 4-0.
Stilly kept coming in the third inning, notching another run behind a Michael Hamilton single and Seth Reiger double.
Marysville produced their only run of the game in the top half of the fourth. Stillys pitcher Brandon Pierce got a little wild and walked consecutive batters. A single to left field scored the one run for Marysville, but Pierce settled down and held them to just the one run.
Leading 5-1 entering the fifth, Jake Campbell gave Stilly an insurance run when he reached on an error by the Marysville shortstop. A passed ball moved Campbell to third base with one out. Hans Henderson then struck out swinging, but the ball dribbled away from the catcher. Henderson retreated toward the dugout, but the assistant coaches prodded him to run toward first base and make Marysville throw down the line to get him out. Henerson turned and sprinted up the basepath as the befuddled Marysville catcher slung the ball toward first base. It surprised the entire infield and the first baseman was not ready to catch the ball, which shot into right field and allowed Campbell to score from third base. Marysvilles coaching staff argued momentarily but quickly recognized the validity of the play.
That would be all the runs Stilly would need as Seth Reiger relieved Brandon Pierce on the mound and tossed two scoreless innings.
Afterward Austin Baker made it clear what the difference in the game was.
We started off the game right. We just jumped on them early.
His coach, Lance Otto, agreed.
We jumped on them and held them down. We played solid defense, we had no errors out there. Were just hoping to finish the season strong, to finish what weve started.