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Tournaments  | Story  | 6/15/2018

Slammers Martin take 18u WS

Bryan Cooney     
Photo: Slammers Martin (Perfect Game)



FORT MYERS, Fla. – Behind a strong pitching performance from Issac Hayen (2018, Aurora, Colo.) and two timely double plays, Slammers Martin was able to fight off Chi Town Cream 2-1 for the 18u Perfect Game World Series Championship at Hammond Stadium on Friday.

For the program based outside of Denver, the path to the championship wasn’t an easy one. In their own pool they went 2-2 despite surrendering only seven runs in the four games. That put them into the playoff bracket, but needing to win two games on Thursday in order to get through to the final.

The Slammers’ pitching staff was marvelous Thursday, starting with Kasey Kopplemaa (2018, Littleton, Colo.) firing a two-hit shutout, striking out six batters as the San Francisco signee shut down Backs Langley Blaze 4-0 in the morning quarterfinal matchup. That put the ball in the hands of Reggie Paris (2018, Denver, Colo.), who worked into the seventh with a shutout before the game went to extra innings. The Slammers scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to knock out North East Baseball 2-0, setting up the championship matchup with Chi Town Cream.

Going unbeaten in pool play, the Cream pitching staff was equally stingy as they allowed just seven runs in the four games. In the semifinal on Thursday the bats came to life as the Cream put up nine run in the first inning on their way to a 12-0 win over the SWFL Canes in four innings to send Chi Town off to the championship game.

In the early stages of the title game, each side had a chance to put runs on the board early and it was Slammers who took advantage of their opportunity.

Leadoff man Harris Williams (2018, Denver, Colo.) hit a single to center, stole second and moved up to third on a ground ball to second before Brennen Dorighi (2018, Cherry Hills Village, Colo.) came up clutch with a two-out single to right to put Slammers Martin up 1-0.

In the home half of the first, the Cream also got their leadoff man on as Josue Rangel (2017, Miami, Fla.) singled up the middle and was moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt. Andrew Tenison (2018, Chicago, Ill.) would line a single to center, but was hit so sharply that Rangel had to hold at third. Hayen was able to get a routine double-play ball hit to shortstop to get the Slammers into the dugout maintaining their slim 1-0 lead.

In the third, the Cream worked a rally for free after Kevin Garcia (2018, Chicago, Ill.) was hit by a pitch with one out. After Garcia advanced to second on a groundout, Rangel came through with a big two-out single to right to tie the game up at one apiece.

It didn’t take long for Slammers Martin to threaten to take the lead back. In the fourth after three singles loaded the bases and with one out, Hayden VanDePol (2018, Broomfield, Colo.) hit a slow chopper to shortstop and was thrown out at first, but it allowed Jake Haze (2018, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) to trot home and put Slammers Martin back in front 2-1.

On the mound, Hayen kept Chi Town at bay with a quality fastball/breaking ball combination as he tossed five innings and allowed four hits while striking out two batters. In the sixth, Dorighi took over on the mound for Slammers Martin and sent the game into the seventh with his team still ahead 2-1.

Chi Town Cream wasn’t going to go quietly in the seventh as Jack Rigoni (2018, Naperville, Ill.) drew a leadoff walk. Dorighi was able to get a soft ground ball to second that Nick Merone (2018, Highlands Ranch, Colo.) fielded and he was able to tag Merone and fire on to first for a double play. Dorighi’s strikeout capped off a tremendous week for Slammers Martin, culminating with the hardware for them to take back home to Colorado.

Kopplemaa’s performance in the quarterfinals earned the lefthander MV-Pitcher honors as he totaled nine strikeouts in his two outings that covered eight innings for the champions.

For the runner-ups, Anthony Herron (2018, Chicago, Ill.) had an outstanding week at the plate for Chi Town Cream, going 8-for-14 (.571) with six RBI to earn Most Valuable Player for the event.

 
2018 18u PG World Series runner-up: Chi Town Cream



2018 18u PG World Series MVP: Anthony Herron



2018 18u PG World Series MV-Pitcher: Kasey Kopplemaa

 
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