Somerset-Pulaski eliminated from Regionals

By DOUG EADS, CJ Sports Writer
Commonwealth Journal

Somerset August 04, 2008 06:41 pm

— So much for the celebration and that good feeling that comes after picking up a much-needed win.
For Shane Skaggs and the Somerset-Pulaski County 15-Year Old Babe Ruth All Stars, both went by the boards on Saturday evening, and in a hurry.
Just a couple of hours after dispatching Mt. Vernon, Ohio by a count of 6-2 in the second round of the Babe Ruth Ohio Valley Regional Baseball Tournament from Charlie Taylor Field, Skaggs and crew were back on the field late Saturday evening to face Lansing, Illinois, fighting for their tournament lives.
But, the local all-star squad certainly didn’t play like there was no tomorrow.
In fact, the SPBR squad flat out mailed this one in.
Lansing scored three times in the bottom of the first inning to grab a quick 3-0 lead, and after watching Somerset-Pulaski County knot things up at 3-3 in the top of the second, the Illinois team rolled on from there, posting a 10-3 triumph over SPBR, eliminating Skaggs’ club from the tournament.
Losing to a better team is certainly one thing, but Skaggs, after watching his team get eliminated with the loss to Lansing, didn’t mix his words about the sick feeling he had deep in his gut after watching his club put forth such a lackluster performance against the Illinois opponent.
“It actually blows my mind that we could play with so little or no emotion tonight over the last four or five innings of this game,” pointed out the Somerset-Pulaski County skipper.
“We tied it up in the second inning, and then we let them take the lead right back away from us, and you could see it on their faces and in their demeanor,” Skaggs continued. “Our guys acted like they were just dead and acted as if the game was over.”
Nathan Phipps got the nod on the mound for the Somerset-Pulaski County All-Stars, and immediately found himself in a big-time hole.
In the bottom of the first inning, Lansing’s Anthony Spangler singled in a pair of runs, while a SPBR error allowed another run to score, for a 3-0 lead for the Illinois club.
In the top of the second frame however, Skaggs club responded, with a three-spot of its own tying the score at 3-3.
After Ryan Ray walked and Phipps singled, leadoff hitter David VanHook came up with a two-run single, and Taylor Sears followed VanHook with an RBI single, and just like that, the score was knotted at 3-3, and the Somerset-Pulaski County All-Stars had new life of sorts.
However, that’s when things went south and in a hurry for Skaggs and company.
Spangler came up clutch for his club once again the home half of the third inning with another two-run single, while Tyler Sindewald’s sacrifice fly plated yet another run, for a 6-3 Lansing lead through three innings of play.
And, that was that; this game was over.
The Somerset-Pulaski County All-Stars did not muster another serious scoring threat, as Spangler, who not only did the damage with his bat but on the mound as well, limited the host team to just three hits over his five innings or relief, in picking up the victory.
“I told some of the guys after the game that there were about four or five of them that played their tails off tonight, and I told them that I appreciated that,” stated Skaggs. “I told them from day one that it couldn’t be just from three or four, but that it had to be from all 12, and we didn’t get it from all 12 this evening.”
“It’s just so frustrating and I really can’t come to grasp with how we could be in this situation,” pointed out a very disappointed Skaggs after the defeat to Lansing. “I can’t believe we didn’t play with more effort than we gave tonight. I don’t think words can describe how disappointed I am with the way we played. It’s sad there was so much talent in this dugout looking back at me and they didn’t use it. We owe an apology to all of the people that worked so hard to put this tournament on, and to support us the way they have. For us to come out and play like we did tonight, with no fire or emotion, is just inexcusable.”
Lansing all but put this one away, already leading by a 6-3 score, by plating three more runs in the home half of the fourth inning, thanks to an error and back to back run-scoring singles by Conner Flowers and Tim Reid.
Despite the bitter loss that ended their run in the tournament, if there was one bright spot for the Somerset-Pulaski County squad, it would have to have been the play of left fielder David VanHook, who tallied three hits in each of his club’s three games of the tourney, for a team-leading nine hits over the weekend.
“David was definitely our MVP this weekend, and I said the first team I saw the kid play that he would be a special player by the time he graduates from high school,” pointed out coach Skaggs. “I hope he can go on and play college baseball, and go as far as he can go.”

DOUBLES—Lansing, IL—Bobby Colantuono, Kevin Halberg
TRIPLES—SPBR—David VanHook
RBI’s—SPBR—David VanHook 2, Taylor Sears 1; Lansing, IL—Spangler 4, Halberg 1, Flowers 1, Reid 1, Sindewald 1
WP—Spangler
LP—Phipps

Saturday’s Games
Russell Co. 1—Owensboro-Daviess County 0
Lansing, IL 10—Somerset-Pulaski Co. 3

Sunday’s Games
Frankfort 16—Russell Co. 5
Eau Claire, WI 6—South Lexington 1
Harrison Co., WV 6—Harris Township, IN 3
South Lexington 13—Frankfort 0
Harris Township, IN 14—Lansing, IL 6

Monday’s Games
Eau Claire, WI 10—Harrison Co., WV 3
South Lexington vs. Harris Township, IN TBA
Harrison Co., WV vs. South Lexington—Harris Township, IN TBA

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