Little League baseball: Ottumwa brings state title home
· Yahoo Sports
ALBIA — From a diving catch that led to a game-ending double play to a go-ahead hit that would up clearing the bases.
In his wildest dreams, Christian McElroy never dreamed of making plays like the ones he's made throughout the course of the postseason for the Ottumwa 12-year-old Little League baseball team. McElroy and the rest of his teammates will get to live out another dream later this month after coming from behind for a 9-6 win over Appanoose County on Wednesday in the Iowa District 7 championship game.
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The victory not only clinched a trip to state for Ottumwa, but clinched a trip to Ottumwa for the state tournament. As champions of this year's host district, Ottumwa will be hosting the Iowa State Little League 8-year-old, 10-year-old and 12-year old state tournaments beginning on July 25.
"We've got a kids wanting to play baseball and wanting to extend their summer of baseball a little longer," Ottumwa 12-year-old Little League baseball coach Brad Scott. "It's a great opportunity for our community, especially getting to host the 10 and 12-year-old state tournaments."
The Ottumwa 10-year-old team, made up of several players that played for the nine-year-old state championship last summer, rallied on Wednesday to win their district championship edging Monroe County 9-7. With the win by the 12-year-olds, Ottumwa's 10-year-old squad has a chance to go after that elusive state title on their home diamonds.
"It's amazing for everybody," Ottumwa 10-year-old Little League coach Bryan Goldsmith said. "It's awesome for the kids to play in a state tournament on their home turf. It's an awesome opportunity for the community. We may have anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 people coming in.
"The hotels. The restaurants. The gas stations. Everybody is going to benefit from that, but it also just puts a great spotlight on Ottumwa. We've got two great baseball teams are going to be competing at state and have a chance to show everyone what we can do in Southeast Iowa."
Both Ottumwa teams were tested early and often in their district finals. The Ottumwa 10-year-olds responded to an opening run scored by Monroe County by getting a towering two-run double to left by newcomer Eddie Ortell, putting Ottumwa on top as part of a four-run inning.
"He's always got a great attitude. He's a super fun kid to be around," Goldsmith said. "He listens when it's time to listen. He works hard when it's time to work hard. All the kids on the team get along really well and Eddie's a big part of that. He's our number-one comic relief guy and I think the kids appreciate that to."
Ortell doesn't just swing a big bat. Playing center field, Ortell made a diving catch in the fourth inning preventing Monroe County from snapping a 6-6 tie.
Ortell also caught the final out of the fifth inning. In both cases, Ortell found a teammate to chest bump and fans from Ottumwa to wave to encouraging everyone to get loud.
"Eddie's not afraid to remind us to play hard and have fun," Goldsmith said. "He keeps us on our toes and keeps everyone in smiles."
Ortell's two catches aided the cause of Drew Goldsmith, who came in relief of Riot Miller to open the fourth inning. Goldsmith stranded runners at second and third in each of his first two innings on the mound, keeping Monroe County stuck at six runs.
"I kept my cool at the same time as being competitive," Drew Goldsmith said. "I wanted to win, but I had confidence in my defense. I just had a job to do to keep us in the game."
Goldsmith also did his job at the plate, dropping in a hit on the infield over Monroe County relief pitcher Luke Kurimski's glove after Kurimski has hit Carter Wilkins to open the inning. Wilkins and Goldsmith both came around the score as Miller drew a tiebreaking bases-loaded walk to plate Wilkins before Goldsmith scored on a wild pitch, giving Ottumwa the lead for good.
"I'm happy that ball dropped in," Drew Goldsmith said. "It just kept the rally up."
Goldsmith secured Ottumwa's first district title of the night, striking out Easton Harris with the tying runs on base in the sixth. Like the 10-year-olds, the Ottumwa 12-year-olds showed true grit in their district final after four straight hits with two outs in the opening inning allowed Appanoose County to build a sudden and commanding 5-0 lead.
"Appanoose is a good team and I knew they were going to want a little revenge after we beat them (5-3) in pool play," Scott said. "I told the guys this was going to be a dogfight. If we can stick in it and want it a little bit more, we'll give ourselves a chance to win.
"I knew we were going to battle even down five runs. I can't tell you that I thought we were going to win."
Ottumwa showed patience in staging a comeback, drawing 11 walks off four different Appanoose County pitchers to bring in four runs over the first three innings without a hit. McElroy would make just the second hit of the title game count in a big way for Ottumwa, coming up with the bases loaded and Appanoose County clinging to a 6-5 lead.
"I knew that, if I struck out, we might not win the game," McElroy said. "Half of us probably weren't sure we were going to win when got behind 5-0. I had feeling I was going to see a good pitch to hit and, fortunately, I did."
McElroy didn't miss, driving a hard ground ball into left field. While Lane Hinebaugh easily scored the tying run from third, Elliott Meinders drew the throw that began the chaotic part of the play as the throw from left field to the plate got away, allowing Camden Stout to take off from third and come home to score Ottumwa's third run on the play.
McElroy, who initially headed down to second base on the throw to the plate, headed to third as Stout was coming home. Appanoose County's bid to catch McElroy at third resulted in a wide throw back into left field, allowing McElroy to come all the way around bringing in the four runs Ottumwa needed to take a late lead.
"I was just going to stop at second base. When I saw them try to throw it home, I headed to third and they messed up the throw," McElroy. "It's pretty insane to come up with an inside-the-park grand slam."
Connor Moore, after giving up six runs to Appanoose County in the opening two innings, made it into the sixth stranding five more runners in scoring position over the next three scoreless innings. After coming out with two runners on and nobody out in the sixth, Moore was asked to head back out to third base to back up Jepson Williams on the infield.
"I was excited. I was hoping the ball would come to me so I could make the last play," Moore said.
Moore got his wish after Williams retired the next two batters. Brayden Dostal hit a two-out grounder to third, allowing Moore to field the ball and deliver the throw to first that clinched a trip to state and the state tournament coming to Ottumwa.
"That sounds awesome," Moore said. "I don't know if we've ever had it here, but it sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun."