League season ends, TOC begins in Corning

The Angels needed a victory on Saturday to force a three-way tie in Corning Little League’s Major Boys division, but the Giants pulled away in the later innings and won, 10-1, to earn the pennant outright.

The Giants, who finished the league season with two losses, scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take an early advantage.

Cooper McCoy and Tyelar Nelson drew back-to-back walks against Angels starter Tarren Dahlgren. Shortstop Jesse Bennett then made a nice diving stop on Tristan McIntyre’s ground ball in the hole, but he wasn’t able to force out McCoy at third and the bases were loaded with no outs.

Lefty-swinging Roberto Espinoza, the Giants’ starter on the mound, grounded a ball to the right side to drive in McCoy, and Nelson scored on a throwing error. Brennan Johnson plated McIntyre with a two-out double that one-hopped the wall in center field, but he was caught in a pickle between second and third for the final out of the inning.

The Angels loaded the bases in the bottom of the first, with a base hit by clean-up hitter Brian Mahutga and walks issued to Dahlgren and Bennett, but Espinoza was able to strike out the next batter to escape the jam.

The Giants added a run in the second, generating a two-out rally when McCoy doubled to left. Nelson tomahawked a pitch deep to left-center for another double, trading places with McCoy for a run batted in.

The Angels were unfazed, however, scratching for a run in the bottom of the third. Bennett doubled down the left-field line, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on the catcher’s throwing error to cut the deficit to 4-1.

The Giants’ Bryce MacLachlan belted a ground-rule double over a left-center field wall to ignite another rally in the fourth. Nelson and McIntyre drew one-out walks, loading the bases, and Espinoza bounced into a fielder’s choice to shortstop, as Dahlgren fired to the plate to force out MacLachlan.

The Giants were able to extend their lead, however, when Nelson crossed the plate on a passed ball and McIntyre hustled around third to score on a bad throw back to the pitcher.

The Giants blew the game open in the fifth inning, scoring four more runs to secure their berth to the Tournament of Champions.

Brice Goss walked and Dakota Deines reached on an infield error with one out. A bad throw back to the mound enabled both runners to advance to scoring position and MacLachlan singled to drive in two runs.

After McCoy was hit by a pitch, MacLachlan was caught stealing third by Colton Peterson. McCoy went to second on the passed ball and Nelson walked. McIntyre smacked a two-out RBI single to left, which scored McCoy and Nelson after the left fielder’s bobble.

Espinoza worked four innings for the victory, giving up an unearned run on two hits. He walked four, hit two and struck out 10. McIntyre pitched two hitless relief innings for the Giants, walking two and striking out four.

Dahlgren was pinned with the loss after two innings of work. He gave up four runs on three hits. Mahutga allowed five runs (two earned) on two hits in 2 1/3 innings and Bennett closed for the Angels.

MacLachlan finished 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the Giants offense out of the nine-hole, and McCoy and Nelson each scored three times at the top of the order.

LITTLE LEAGUE
(Major Girls)
The Major Girls A’s of Corning Little League have racked up 13 victories this season, picking up recent wins over the Angels, Giants and Lady Warriors.

A’s 11, Angels 7
Hayley Winterson struck out 13 batters in a complete-game performance on the mound, leading the A’s to an 11-7 victory against the Angels.
Mackenzie Peterson went 2-for-5 with four runs scored and Katie Gaubatz bunted her way on base four times, scoring once. Alison Biles collected
a pair of hits and Marissa Donnelly also singled for the A’s.

The A’s scored three runs in the top of the seventh to put the game away, as the Angels rallied from a 6-1 deficit to make it 8-6 in the fifth.

A’s 4, Giants 1
The A’s rallied from behind in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to overcome the Giants, 4-1.

Winterson dealt a two-hitter, striking out six batters, and the Giants pitcher fanned 15.

Donnelly propelled the A’s offense with two hits, including a double.

It was a tough defensive battle for both sides, as the game was scoreless until the fourth inning.

A’s 18, Lady Warriors 13
Biles stroked a pair of doubles and Donnelly tripled to highlight the A’s offense in a 18-13 slugfest versus the Lady Warriors.

Averre Mulliner went 2-for-4 with a team-leading four runs scored, and Shawnee Winterson was 3-for-4 with three runs. Peterson also collected three hits, scoring twice, and Biles and Donnelly both crossed the plate three times.

Hayley Winterson also added two runs to help her own cause. She pitched two shutout innings in relief for the victory, helping the A’s cap comebacks of 5-0, 7-3, 10-5 and 13-8.