In all pitchers in this game combined for nine strikeouts, allowing only two hits and there were only two errors committed in the cleanest game with the cleanest scorebook of the tournament.

It wasn’t until the bottom of the sixth inning that Noah Gilbert was hit by a pitch and was moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tristan Turner. Will Merrix also reached as a hit batsman before Gilbert was able to gallop home on a fielder’s choice to Jaxson West for the lone tally of the game.

While neither pitcher deserved to lose this incredible defensive battle, both pitchers, Mark Elliot and Luke Koon were named Ron Tellefsen Players of the Game both having thrown one-hitters.

Game 18 pitted Norwalk, Connecticut against Vancouver, Washington. Ethan Platt was on the hump for the team from New England and Tanner Beaman went for the purple and gold.

Norwalk opened up the game with back-to-back singles by left fielder Vance Ward and shortstop Brenden Eduardsen. Ward stole second and came in to score on Eduardsen’s hit. Brenden would come in to score on a fielder’s choice to make the score New England 2, Pacific Northwest coming to bat.

And Vancouver would respond immediately with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first when center fielder Aldon Fay and third baseman Max Mitchell reached on walks. They too would eventually come in to score on fielder’s choices to knot the game up at two.

After that, Platt would take over retiring eleven Washington batters over the course of the next three innings striking out five. He would eventually be relieved in the sixth after Seth Minor singled and score after hits by Beaman and second baseman Parker Harris.

Norwalk scattered runs by Ward, Artie Cocchia Jayden Gonzalez Ali Morin and Ben Boccanfuso to put the game away.

Players of the Game were Ethan Platt for New England and the Pacific Northwest’s Tanner Beaman.

Then it was the game that every Eagle Pass fan was watching to see if in fact the host team would pass on to the bracket round or end up in a possible three-way tie for second which could’ve very well meant elimination for a two-win team in this tournament, the game between Phenix City, Alabama and West Fargo, North Dakota.

For the Southwest Champions, the ball with the red and blue stitching would go to Bryson Newton while Jaden Grefsrud would take the mound for the Midwest Plains Champs.

North Dakota would be the visiting squad and Alabama would bat last and this definitely came into play as these teams battled it out deep into the evening and even gave the fans some extra baseball as you will see.

Newton would get the first three batters of the game on two infield flies and a fly to left fielder Cam Parker.

Grefsrud would do the same on two infield flies and a putout by third baseman Evan Berg.

In the second Max Burkhart singled into right field but was thrown out at second to end the early threat.

Grefsrud would mow down the 4, 5 and 6 hitters striking out two keeping the game scoreless, then in the top of the third, Mike Bedford’s squad would erupt with a two-out rally when Jordan Burchill doubled and scored followed by another double by Grant Warkenthein who would come in to score on an errant throw by the third baseman trying to secure the final out of the inning. 2-0 North Dakota after two and a half.

Grefsrud continued his dominance getting out of the third unscathed retiring the final three men in the Alabama order and it did not look good for the team in gold until in the bottom of the fourthBrandon Green doubled into righty center followed Bedford getting hit by a Grefsrud pitch. Then Chandler Jones became the hero of the early part of this game tying it up with a single to left and ladies and gentlemen, we would have ourselves a new ball game… a LONG new ballgame.

Alabama pitching would get out of three out of the next four innings on-two-three with solid defense by the Southwest infield of SS Brennan Haman, 2B James Hagen, 3B Evan Berg and 1B Jordan Burchill. Phenix City only allowed three base runners, two hit batsmen and a walk from the fourth through the eighth innings.

And Grefsrud’s dominance also continued from the fifth through the eighth allowing no hits and only two base runners, (one who reached on a walk) behind the great play of Brandon Green, Preston Bedford, Landon Slaten, Jake Middleton and the arm and defense of catcher Chandler Jones who threw out Faison Bolds at second attempting to steal after reaching on only the third hit of the game for Alabama.

It was in the top of the ninth inning of this marathon that Sam Carpenter reached on an error and Evan Berg singled and got Carpenter into scoring position that Carter Hanson looked to the crowd for inspiration calling his shot and assuring his fans that he would win this game for the navy blue and gold and deliver he did sending a shot into right field for a double plating Carpenter and taking the lead into the bottom of the ninth. High drama at Moncada for a chance to advance in the 2018 Babe Ruth World Series.

But as highly improbable as it seemed at the time, Phenix City still had a little magic of their own when Cam Parmer opened up the inning with a single followed by Green who reached on an error and Chandler Jones got on then it was Dylan White’s turn to put on the Superman cape and single into center field scoring Parmer and Green to seal the deal and end the game 4-3.

Players of the game were Chandler Jones for Alabama and Jaden Grefsrud for North Dakota.

Just as they were awarding these two players their plaques, a deluge hit the park and Game 20 between Eagle Pass and the Pacific Southwest was postponed until the following day as read in Wednesday’s issue of your Eagle Pass News Gram who would like to congratulate all of the players, parents, families, friends and players of all ten teams who participated in this historic event on a job well done.    Let The bracket play begin and may the better team win!