OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Torrance California’s Nori Morey dives safely into second base with a stolen base as Eau Claire Wisconsin’s Cashton Kainz applies a late mark during Babe Ruth’s 13-15 World Series consolation game Saturday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.
JAMESTOWN – In the first two halves of Saturday morning, Torrance, California looked like it had no interest in playing in the parallel Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series game.
They were rewarded with third place.
Tsukasa Shimokawaji went 3-for-3 twice and scored twice to lead a 13-hit offense as Torrance beat Eau Claire, Wisconsin 10-4 at Dethrick Park.
California trailed 4-0 early on, but scored all 10 of their runs and earned all of their hits in the middle three innings.
OBSERVER photo of Matt Spielman Torrance, Anthony Guerra of California stepping on second base for a power out of Eau Claire, Wisconsin’s Cashton Caines slide as Torrance’s Jay Flores looks on during Babe Ruth’s 13-15 World Series game Saturday at Dethrick Park in Jamestown.
Shimokawaji doubled to lead off the third and scored after an error. He hit an RBI single before home run Raven Nair scored in the fourth; and singled out before scoring again in the fifth inning.
In the fourth, Jay Flores and Anthony Guerra each single before Shimokawaji’s RBI single. This was followed by a Matthew Gonzalez sacrifice fly for the second before Jason Salmon’s RBI single made it 4–4.
Torrance took the lead for good with a six-run fifth inning, capitalizing on a pair of Eau Claire errors. Nori Morey drove with a hustle double to left-center field and went to third on Aiden Bui’s sacrifice bunt. Then Tadashi Tiomico hit an RBI pop-fly that caught two of Eau Claire’s batters.
After stealing second, Teomeco scored on an error that allowed Jacob Faamasino to reach first. Then Eau Claire’s Austin McGraw relieved starter Aaron Gust and sprinter Noah Gomez won second. Flores is on the left to put runners on first and third. McGraw then singled Flores for the second out, but Guerra hit an RBI single leading off consecutive singles by Shimokawaji and Gonzalez to load the bases.
See TORRANCE, page B2
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Torrance California player Jay Flores throws first base during Babe Ruth’s 13-15 World Series consolation game against Eau Claire, Wisconsin on Saturday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.
Guerra then drove home on a wild pitch before a dropped fly ball on the right line allowed the score on the last two runs.
Noah Sandoval — Torrance’s Ron Tellefsen player of the game — settled after a four-run second inning to hit 6 1/3 innings on six hits. He only hit one out, but retired 11 in a row at one point before walking Eau Claire’s Tyler Barrows with one out in the seventh inning.
Jaden Hasanuma is relieved and took the last two games to secure victory.
Notes: Zach Shipman, Ethan Brill, Aiden Pankratz, and Aiden Baker—his team player Ron Tellefsen in the game—all had singles during the second of Eau Claire’s four innings. Pankratz’s strike led the run while Gavin Thompson also walked to force on the Ohio Valley District Champion.
OBSERVER photo by Matt Spielman Eau Claire, Wisconsin’s Gavin Thompson captures a pop-up during Babe Ruth’s 13-15 World Series consolation game against Torrance, Calif. on Saturday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Eau Claire, Wisconsin Gavin Thompson throws first base during the Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series consolation game against Torrance, California on Saturday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.
OBSERVER photo by Matt Spielman Torrance, California’s Noah Sandoval delivers to the plate during Babe Ruth’s 13-15 World Series consolation game against Eau Claire, Wisconsin on Saturday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.