BANGOR — The U.S. Central champions from Holmes County, Ohio, got back to the basics Wednesday
Holmes County pounded out 18 hits at the expense of Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands while scoring nine first-inning runs en route to a 14-4 Senior League World Series victory over the Asia-Pacific representatives at Mansfield Stadium.
After enduring a 17-1 pounding at the hands of Aruba on Tuesday, the first five Ohio batters reached base in the first as part of the nine-run onslaught, with six different players recording at least one RBI.
And, there were no extra-base hits in that inning as manager Mike Yoder’s club relied on bunting and aggressive baserunning.
“We’re not a home run-hitting team, we’re a contact, small-ball, aggressive on the bases, move runners along, we’re that type of a team,” Yoder said. “When we do that, we score a lot of runs, we put a lot of pressure on teams.”
It also took a lot of pressure off starting pitcher Greg Troyer, who went the distance and gave up four runs — all in the fourth inning — on six hits while walking two and striking out one.
“Mostly, I just tried to throw fastballs on the outside corner and then maybe move inside, keep them off-balance,” Troyer said. “I didn’t want to take the risk of throwing a curveball in the dirt and let it get by the catcher.”
Holmes County was powered by leadoff man Ryan Troyer, who singled three times, drove in three runs and scored two more while Luke Burch also had three singles and scored twice. B.J. Miller drove in two runs. Richie Mast also had a perfect day at the plate with three singles, a double, an RBI and a run scored.
After Tuesday’s loss, the Central champs were eager to play Wednesday, and they stayed alive for a semifinal spot in the process.
“We were really low after [Tuesday’s] game, we were as low as we could possibly ever get, and we wanted to come back here and crush these guys,” Ryan Troyer said.
Ohio tacked on two runs in the second and three in the third for a 14-0 lead, but Sapian didn’t give up, scoring four times in the fourth and it nearly avoided the mercy rule with a first-and-third, one-out chance in the fifth, but Grant Troyer got the final two batters to pop up to shortstop.
Even in defeat, manager Jonathan Tenorio’s team liked competing.
“Everybody starting getting loose, starting hitting the ball, just enjoying themselves,” he said. “The first two innings, the boys were just kind of serious, not having fun.”
Harry Nakamura sparked Saipan’s four-run uprising in the fourth with a two-run double to left-center while Diego Camacho added an RBI base hit.
In spite of those mild troubles, Yoder’s plan was to stick with Grant Troyer on the hill throughout.
“We were going to ride him to 95 pitches as long as he could keep us in the ballgame,” he said. “Overall I thought he pitched well, two walks, we’ll take that every time.
It was also important for Holmes County to regain its confidence after Tuesday’s loss.
“We got bogged in all the shenanigans going on, and we just didn’t focus,” Yoder said. “It was important today to come out and play much better [and] re-focus.”
Camacho and Marvin Ngeskebei were Saipan’s repeat hitters with two singles apiece.
“It’s all right, it’s a learning experience. That’s why you come to the World Series,” Tenorio said.
Central (2-1) 923 00 — 14 18 2
Asia-Pacific (0-3) 000 40 — 4 6 3
G. Toyer and Bunch, Mest (3); Guerrero, Nakamura (2) and Ngeskebie; WP-G. Toyer (1-0); LP-Guerrero (0-1); Repeat hitters: R. Toyer (Cen), Burch (Cen), R. Mast (Cen); Ngeskebie (AP), Camacho (AP); Extra-base hits: 2B: N. Mast (Cen); Nakamura (AP)
