Pumas take division title from Rockies
By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer
Daily Journal Sports Writer
Jul 12, 2009 - 08:06:09 CDT
CALEDONIA - The Potosi Pumas faced a demanding stretch of four make-up games this week while trying to maintain first place overall in the MABA Junior Babe Ruth National Division standings.
A narrow loss to the North County Cubs left Potosi tied with the Leadwood Rockies entering Friday night’s winner-take-all showdown, but the Pumas had successfully kept left-hander Matt McCoy rested and ready.
McCoy protected an early lead by recording 12 strikeouts in an impressive one-hit shutout, and the Pumas captured the division crown with a 3-0 victory on a neutral Turner Field in Caledonia.
Ryan Dickey capped the scoring with a RBI double in the third inning for the Pumas (13-3), who earned the right to select a 15-year-old National Division all-Star team for upcoming postseason play.
Ross Politte began the contest with a single and scored on a swinging bunt by McCoy following two wild pitches. The Pumas led 2-0 when Ethan Short raced home from first base on a throwing error and never looked back.
McCoy fanned five consecutive batters during one stretch, and allowed two walks while preventing the Rockies from advancing a runner past second base. Pumas catcher Kyle Ramsey caught two men stealing during the early action.
Josh Conway had a hustling double for the lone Leadwood hit, and Kyle Harrison reached base twice as a hit batsman. The Rockies will choose a 14-year-old playoff team to represent the division.
Rockies starter Zac Turner lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing six walks while striking out four. Justin Lashley worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief.
Jeremy Malugen singled and scored a run for Potosi.
Cubs 8, Pumas 7
CALEDONIA — The North County Cubs posted six runs in the first inning and punctuated a late-season resurgence Friday night with an 8-7 triumph over the National Division champion Potosi Pumas.
Justin Ruby finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, and also pitched 4 1/3 innings for the win in relief of starter Drew Rhodes. Ruby struck out five and yielded three earned runs.
Kaleb Warden and Austin Johnson added two hits each, and Derek Mitchell reached base four times with two runs scored for the Cubs (9-7), who rallied for a winning season after dropping five of their first six games.
Rhodes put the Cubs ahead with a two-run single, and RBI hits from Joe Swofford and Zach Franklin continued the early outburst against Pumas hurler Kyle Ramsey.
The lead-off batter reached base in each of the first five frames for Potosi, which pulled to within 6-4 when Ross Politte scored his second run on an infield error.
North County answered with two needed insurance runs in the fourth. Ruby drove in Mitchell with a two-out RBI double to left field, and Warden followed with a RBI single to right.
Ruby closed out the victory by retiring his final seven batters after Potosi tallied three runs in the fifth. Jeremy Malugen drilled a long RBI triple to make it 8-5, and Dusty Wideman popped a two-run single into shallow left.
Travis Ryals added a single and stolen base for the Cubs.
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A narrow loss to the North County Cubs left Potosi tied with the Leadwood Rockies entering Friday night’s winner-take-all showdown, but the Pumas had successfully kept left-hander Matt McCoy rested and ready.
McCoy protected an early lead by recording 12 strikeouts in an impressive one-hit shutout, and the Pumas captured the division crown with a 3-0 victory on a neutral Turner Field in Caledonia.
Ryan Dickey capped the scoring with a RBI double in the third inning for the Pumas (13-3), who earned the right to select a 15-year-old National Division all-Star team for upcoming postseason play.
Ross Politte began the contest with a single and scored on a swinging bunt by McCoy following two wild pitches. The Pumas led 2-0 when Ethan Short raced home from first base on a throwing error and never looked back.
McCoy fanned five consecutive batters during one stretch, and allowed two walks while preventing the Rockies from advancing a runner past second base. Pumas catcher Kyle Ramsey caught two men stealing during the early action.
Josh Conway had a hustling double for the lone Leadwood hit, and Kyle Harrison reached base twice as a hit batsman. The Rockies will choose a 14-year-old playoff team to represent the division.
Rockies starter Zac Turner lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing six walks while striking out four. Justin Lashley worked 2 2/3 scoreless frames in relief.
Jeremy Malugen singled and scored a run for Potosi.
Cubs 8, Pumas 7
CALEDONIA — The North County Cubs posted six runs in the first inning and punctuated a late-season resurgence Friday night with an 8-7 triumph over the National Division champion Potosi Pumas.
Justin Ruby finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, and also pitched 4 1/3 innings for the win in relief of starter Drew Rhodes. Ruby struck out five and yielded three earned runs.
Kaleb Warden and Austin Johnson added two hits each, and Derek Mitchell reached base four times with two runs scored for the Cubs (9-7), who rallied for a winning season after dropping five of their first six games.
Rhodes put the Cubs ahead with a two-run single, and RBI hits from Joe Swofford and Zach Franklin continued the early outburst against Pumas hurler Kyle Ramsey.
The lead-off batter reached base in each of the first five frames for Potosi, which pulled to within 6-4 when Ross Politte scored his second run on an infield error.
North County answered with two needed insurance runs in the fourth. Ruby drove in Mitchell with a two-out RBI double to left field, and Warden followed with a RBI single to right.
Ruby closed out the victory by retiring his final seven batters after Potosi tallied three runs in the fifth. Jeremy Malugen drilled a long RBI triple to make it 8-5, and Dusty Wideman popped a two-run single into shallow left.
Travis Ryals added a single and stolen base for the Cubs.