July 23, 2009

sports

Yellow Springs Youth Baseball

By Tim Sherwood

Twins undefeated in final standing
It was clear early in the Major League youth baseball season that the Twins were the team to beat, but that’s something neither of the league’s other two teams could manage before the Twins completed a perfect 13–0 season to finish as the undefeated league champions.

The Twins took all three of their games last week, beginning on Wednesday, July 15, with a 27–13 victory over the Cardinals. The red birds jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first, while giving up only three. But the Twins’ hard hitting offense took over and put the game away in a third inning that some thought would never end. Carter Collins, Aakeem Truss, April Riddell and Liam Weigand all scored four runs each, with both Eric Lawhorn and Levi Perry each adding three runs. Held to only a single run in the second, the Reds had to score at least eight runs to keep from having the game called after the Twins put up 19 runs in the top of the inning. And sure enough, Christian Werner, Evan Pace, Ethan DeWine, Keanan Onfroy-Curley, Ian Chick, Theron Orme, Rachelle Orme and Ben Croft all scored to keep the team alive as long as possible.

The Twins also beat the Royals 12–7 on Saturday, July 18. The Royals’ Joe Thorp led off with a triple, Nathan Hardman and Adrianne Beer both walked and then Aaron Sherwood popped a single to center to score Thorp and Hardman. Beer eventually scored on a Sam Butler single and Sherwood crossed the plate when Rodman Allen was walked. That gave the Royals a 4–0 first-inning lead when the Twins ace, Jared Scarfpin, was brought in and struck out seven of the next nine batters. Jake Savage walked to lead off the fifth and scored on Sherwood’s second base hit of the day. Both Thorp and Devon Perry scored in the final frame, thanks to a base hit by Adrianne Beer, but that was all the offense the Royals could muster.

Defensively, Royals pitchers Thorpe, Perry and Hardman combined for nine strikeouts, and the remaining fielders combined for seven other put-outs, including caught fly balls by Colton Hicks, Hardman and Joe Thorp. Meanwhile, the Twins got runs from Carter Collins, Tom Amrhein, April Riddell, Eric Lawhorn, Truss, Weigand and Jared Scarfpin, who tripled for three RBIs. Twins pitchers Scarfpin, Weigand and Truss combined for 12 strikeouts and held the Royals to only six hits.

The Twins took their final victory on Sunday, July 19, overpowering the Cardinals 16–6. Edward Johnson, Levi Perry and Weymar Osborne led all scorers with three runs each. Eric Lawhorn and Kaner Butler each added a pair, while the Cardinals’ Adrianne Beer and Devon Perry both scored twice.

One final game between the Royals and the Cardinals was scheduled for Wednesday, July 22. See www.leaguelineup.com/ysoyouthbb for those results and final standings.

Congratulations to the Twins for the perfect season. Special thanks go to coaches Dean Severtson of the Twins, Laum and Megan Werner of the Reds and Dave Miller and Austin Bailey, who helped out yours truly with the Royals. And thanks as well to all the other parent volunteers for helping make the season a success.

Indians take Minor League title
They played each other close all season, trading turns leading the league, and it came down to one final game between the Indians and Reds. When the dust settled Sunday evening, July 19, the Indians prevailed with a 13–5 win to take the 2009 league title.

The Indians finished the season at 10–2, followed by the Reds one game back at 9–3, the Pirates at 3–7 and the Dragons at 0–10.

The two teams were the only ones to play official games last week, as both the Dragons and Pirates couldn’t field enough players, but did hold several scrimmages to give available players some action. In the final regular season game on Friday, July 17, the Indians beat the Reds 5–0 to tie for the league lead. Hayden Orme and Fisher Lewis singled and doubled, respectively, for Indians and both scored in the first, while David Walker singled and scored in the second. Orme smacked a double in the third and eventually scored on Tony Marinelli’s single. Parker Bleything rounded out the scoring in the fourth when he singled and then crossed the plate on David Walker’s triple. The Reds struggled, managing only three hits and seeing their three batters in four of five innings all go down in order.

That win tied the two teams and forced a single game final between the hard-hitting rivals. Played under the lights at Gaunt Park Sunday evening, July 19, the Indians pounded out 19 hits in route to the 13–5 championship win. Hayden Orme hit a pair of singles and a home run to score three times, while Fisher Lewis scored as many times off a pair of base hits and a triple. Eric Romohr singled and doubled to score twice, while Tom Amrhein hit a pair of triples and scored once. Tristan Campbell, Brandon Pollock, Parker Bleything and David Walker all added one run each to help seal the win. The Reds’ Colton Hicks scored first for his team after a double, followed by James Fulton’s RBI single. Sawyer HaleWolf doubled in the second and then scored on Ethan Perkins’ triple. It was the fifth inning before the Reds could score again, when HaleWolf singled and then scored on Christian Elam’s triple, stopped short of a possible home run only by dad’s firm grip from the third base coaches’ box! Then Jakob Woodburn stepped up and smashed the ball to deep center for a two-run homer. Ashton Gueth followed with a base hit, but that’s when the rally fell short and resulted in the Indians victory for the championship.

More than 60 youth participated in the Minor League this year, and there were many who helped make it happen. Special thanks goes to coaches Naomi Orme and Amy Lewis of the Indians, Rick Haught and Shane Elam of the Reds, Jeremy Johnson and Teri Gillman of the Pirates and Dan Marion and Jim Grote of the Dragons. And thank you, as well, to all the other parent volunteers who helped coach and manage the league to a fun and successful season.

‘Simply Women’ 5k run, walk set

YS Girls Running will host “Simply Women,” a 5k run/walk for women and girls to be held at Yellow Springs High School Saturday, Aug. 8. The event is designed to create awareness about the benefits of running sports for young women, to increase girls’ participation in school-based running sports and to build broader support in Yellow Springs for girls sports in general. Cross Country and Track and Field coaches and Principal John Gudgel will be on hand, and information about cross-country and track and field at YSHS/McKinney will be available.

Entry fee is $15 (t-shirt guaranteed with preregistration by July 24.) On-site registration and check-in for participants begins at 8 a.m. and the race/walk begins at 9:15 a.m.

All proceeds will benefit YS Girls Running, a newly formed organization started by two young women who are active in cross country and track and field in the Yellow Springs school district. Reini Brickson is the captain of the girls cross country team and a year-round athlete competing in running and race-walking activities. Reini is joined by her running colleague, Paloma Wiggins, who is also a year-round athlete and competes in cross country and track and field.

Registration forms and more information are available at Living Green, the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce and online at www.ysgirlsrunning.com. Or, contact YS Girls Running by phone at 937-767-7607.

Footballers to meet

For those who are interested in participating in the Yellow Springs High School football program this year but missed last week’s mandatory meeting for parents and players, the coaches will hold two more meetings before the season starts. The meetings will take place on Sundays, July 19 and 26, at 7 p.m. on the second floor of the Bryan Community Center.

Head Coach Craig McCann and Assistant Coach Michael Spencer are working to create a strong team for the upcoming season and get an accurate count of equipment that will be distributed for the year.

Bulldog football practice officially begins on Aug. 3 at the high school fields.

Cross country team meets

Athletes interested in participating in the Yellow Springs High School and McKinney School cross country programs, are to meet with the coaching staff Monday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. at the high school football field. For more information, contact coach Vince Peters at 767-7424.

Girls open gym volleyball

An open gym volleyball for high school girls will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays, in the Yellow Springs High School gym, from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, contact Ryan Berning at 937-269-2808.

July track finale

The Miami Valley Track Club, based here in Yellow Springs, will host the 19th Annual Miami Valley All-Comers Track & Field Meet on Thursday, July 23. Attracting athletes from the Dayton-Springfield area, the meet will feature Yellow Springs High School alumni Sam Borchers and Jacob and Brock GunderKline, as well as 2008 Olympic trials silver medalist Matt Boyles and javelin professional David Dierecks. The meet will also feature the fun 100-meter marathon for runners aged 4 and under. Every finisher receives a ribbon.

Local athletes from the host club include Antone Truss in the jumping events, Mitchell Brickson in the distance events and Austin Baily in the javelin. For the girls, Reini Brickson will compete in the walks, the steeplechase and the sprints, along with Africa Strodes. Local youngsters competing include Madison Robinson, Anndee Pettiford and Elliot Wiggins, who won the 400 and the 1500 at the recent Ohio Junior Olympic Championships in Trotwood.

The entry fee for the July 23 meet is $4 per event. Day of meet registration starts at 5 p.m. Awards are presented to the first three finishers in each event. Field events begin at 5:30 p.m. with track events starting at 6:30 p.m. Entry forms are also available online at http://www.miamivalleytrackclub.org/.

Volunteers who wish to help with the meet are asked to contact Jennifer Peters at 767-7424. Refreshments will be available.

Summer open gym for girls basketball players

The McKinney School and Yellow Springs High School girls basketball program is offering open gym sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4 to 6 p.m. The sessions began Tuesday, June 23, and are open to any middle and high school girls interested in playing basketball. Players or parents with questions can contact Coach Duncan Thomas at 937-580-0152.