Bentonville Falls Short In Series Semifinal

Sam Many of Bentonville is overcome Friday after getting pulled from the mound during the fifth inning of the All-Stars’ semifinal game against Willamette Valley, Ore., in the Cal Ripken World Series in at Memorial Park in Bentonville. Willamette Valley won 11-5.
Sam Many of Bentonville is overcome Friday after getting pulled from the mound during the fifth inning of the All-Stars’ semifinal game against Willamette Valley, Ore., in the Cal Ripken World Series in at Memorial Park in Bentonville. Willamette Valley won 11-5.

Bentonville found a way to bounce back from one Willamette Valley comeback, but a second rally proved to be one too many Friday afternoon.

The Oregon team erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead for good and eliminated Bentonville from the 10-year-old Cal Ripken World Series with an 11-5 decision at Memorial Park.

Cam Parks gave Willamette Valley a 6-5 lead when his two-run double off the right-field fence drove in Kadon Miller and Cade Crist, both of whom had singles to start off the inning. Bryce Boettcher followed with a single to drive in Parks as Willamette Valley added a bases-loaded walk and two RBI groundouts.

“As a coach, I’ve always said the toughest thing to do is beat a team two times in a row,” said Willamette Valley manager Jody Allard, whose team claimed a 14-4 victory over Bentonville in pool play Tuesday night. “You’ve already beaten them, and subconsciously, you think this game won’t even be close.

“Once the guys started hitting the ball well, they started loosening up. It took the pressure off them.”

Miller took care of things on the mound and held Bentonville to a hit and a walk over the next two innings to seal the win.

Bentonville held its own through the first half of the game and took an early 2-0 lead on David Marts’ RBI single and a wild pitch that allowed Will Lawing to score. Williamette Valley took its first lead with three runs in the second, only to have Bentonville respond in the third with a two-run single by Sawyer Price and an RBI groundout by Kendall Thornton a 5-3 edge.

“The kids came out and started off with a bang,” Bentonville manager Gan Nunnally said. “The Oregon team came on, and that’s how they got here. They’re a good team. Their bats came alive and they did a better job batting.

“They made some pitching adjustments and did real well with that. The ones we hit, we hit right to them. Their shortstop is pretty tired because he made so many putouts.”

WILLAMETTE VALLEY, ORE. 11, BENTONVILLE 5

Bentonville 203 000 — 5 6 1

Willamette Valley 031 70X — 11 12 3

Holley, Macy (4), Bray (4), Thomas (5) and Lawing. Parks, Williams (1), Miller (4) and Crist. W-Miller. L-Holley. HR-None.

Northwest Bakersfield, Calif. 11, Sarasota, Fla. 4

Kobe Silva held Sarasota scoreless over the 2 1/3 innings and added a home run in the completion of Thursday’s semifinal game that was suspended because of storms.

Silva’s home run came in the bottom of the fourth, then Elijah Pascual closed out the scoring with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly after Andrew Yoder doubled.

NORTHWEST BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. 11, SARASOTA, FLA. 4

Sarasota 003 100 — 4 9 1

NW Bakersfield 018 11X — 11 10 1

Boot-Handford, Miller (3), Clancy (3), Whittaker (5) and Scott; Pascual, Silva (3) and Joven. W-Silva. L-Boot-Handford. HR-Sarasota, Scott; NW Bakersfield, Salas 2, Silva.

Northwest Bakersfield, Calif. 10, Willamette Valley, Ore. 5

Northwest Bakersfield jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning and completed an undefeated run to the Cal Ripken World Series championship.

The Pacific Southwest regional champion sent 12 batters to the plate during its big outburst. Kris Anglin and Andrew Yoder each belted a two-run double, while Mason Moccardini and Elijah Pascual had an RBI single apiece.

Williamette Valley pulled within 7-4 on Kadon Miller’s two-run home run in the third inning, but the Oregon team didn’t get any closer. Miller added another home run in the fifth.

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