Bay City Northwest outduels Southwest to force winner-take-all final in Major ... - Bay City Times

By JOHN SCHNEIDER | MLive.com

SAGINAW TOWNSHIP – It should come as no surprise that the all-stars from Bay City Southwest and Bay City Northwest Little Leagues need more than one game to decide who earns a spot at the state tournament.

With a 5-2 win over Southwest on Saturday, Northeast staved off elimination and set up a winner-take-all Major Boys Little League district championship showdown at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Saginaw Township Little League complex.

"It's a great rivalry, and we have fun when we play each other," said Northwest manager Mike Shore. "I know about three-quarters of the kids on that team, so it's always fun when we get together."

Northwest, which has rode the round-tripper to victories the entire tournament, scored all five of its runs on home runs. Alex VanWert blasted a two-run shot in the bottom of the fourth to give Northwest a 4-0 lead. The other three homers were all solo drives as Carson Cooley, Mason Schumacher and Nick Dardas all delivered big flies with Cooley's shot giving Northwest a 1-0 first-inning lead.

"We've got a lot of homerun hitters all through the lineup," Shore said. "Our kids just hit the ball, and if we continue to hit the ball we'll be ok."

Northwest recorded just six hits on the day, but four of them left the yard. Cody Reagle doubled and came home on VanWert's homerun.

"They hit (Southwest pitcher Hayden Jatczak) very well and he's a good pitcher," said Southwest manager Ray Ralph. "His location was a little bit off today, but at times it was very good. They are a good-hitting team and they showed that today so I have to give the credit to Northwest."

Jatczak recorded nine strikeouts, while walking just one batter, in five innings of work.

On the mound for Northwest, Adam Randall dominated the first four innings before getting touched up for a couple of runs in the fifth. He earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out nine in four and two-thirds innings.

"Adam is one of our big knockdown pitchers," Shore said. "And I'll tell you what, the team is confident when he's on the mound and they play well behind him."

Caleb Courtney singled and scored on a single by Vic Schoenherr and Trey Miller reached on a fielder's choice and came home on a Ben VanSumeren base hit to account for Southwest's scoring.

Southwest cruised through the winner's bracket without a blemish while Northwest had to make its way through the loser's bracket after losing its second game to Saginaw North.

Southwest beat Saginaw North 11-4 on Thursday to become the only team in the district without a loss. Northwest got revenge on Saginaw North Friday with a 13-4 victory.

Southwest and Northwest have not yet met this year.

"I told them all along that if they play their game they can beat anybody in this district," Ralph said. "I told them to keep your heads up, hit the ball like you can, and things will turn around for us."

Shore says he doesn't worry about his team experiencing a letdown after Saturday's win.

"With these kids, I don't need to say anything," he said. "They do it themselves, I've got a lot of leaders on this team and that's the way it's been all year."

The winner of Sunday's district championship will qualify for the Boys Major Little League State Tournament in Ishpeming.

Source: southwest - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGfgbbPgR7t_j70d-xchobiY50-jA&url=http://www.mlive.com/sports/bay-city/index.ssf/2013/07/bay_city_northwest_outduels_so.html