St. Gervais, Quebec, CA – The offense was explosive and the pitching just steady enough to lead Team USA over the Scarborough Force, 13-6, to claim the Bellechasse International Fastball championship Sunday afternoon in a game shortened to five innings by the run rule.
BATTLE OF THE BATSMENTeam USA pounded out 12 hits, including four home runs, and put runs on the board in every inning to finish the tournament undefeated at 4-0.
Matt Palazzo
Matt Palazzo and Chris Miljavac both homered in the first, and Pat Sagdal hit a two-run bomb in the second, giving Team USA what appeared a commanding lead.
But Scarborough answered back with three runs in the third on Ben Wideman’s bases loaded double off Gerald Muizelaar to pull within 4-3. Scarborough could have scored more after reloading the bases, but Muizelaar muscled up with a strikeout to end the threat.
BOGACH COMES THROUGH
Kris Bogach
Team USA – perhaps realizing this would be a high-scoring affair – kept pounding the ball. In their half of the third with two out and the bases full, Kris Bogach tripled into right-field, clearing the bags and pushing Team USA ahead, 7-3.
But backed countered Scarborough with a two-run fourth on Ben Wideman’s run-scoring single, and an RBI double by Andy Skelton to pull within two. Josh Johnson, who came on in relief of Muizelaar at the start of the inning, escaped further damage when Wideman was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
DEGROAT’s BOMB, TURNER’S TWO-BAGGER
Frank DeGroat
Frank DeGroat finally put some distance to Scarborough’s rallying attempts in the fifth by belting a three-run homer.
Chase Turner
And in the fifth, Team USA added a run on a wild pitch, and Chase Turner finished the scoring by drilling a two-run double to right-field.
Scarborough scored its final run in the fifth on Greg Garrity’s lead off homer, but Johnson got two ground balls and a strikeout to end Force’s championship hopes.
PITCHERS TEAM UP FOR WINGerald Muizelaar (2-0) started, went three innings allowing four earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk to get the win. Johnson (2-0) earned a save with two innings of relief, giving up one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts.
TEAM USA’s LINEUP PRODUCTIVE
Pat Sagdal
The offense had 10-of-12 batters get at least one hit. Miljavac was 1-for-2, RBI, homer, run; Chris Heinline 1-for2, run; Zechman 1-for-4, 2 runs; Palazzo 2-for-2, RBI, homer, 2 runs; DeGroat 1-for-1, 3 RBI, homer, 2 runs; Johnson 1-for2, run; Turner 2-for-4, RBI, double, run; Freddy Carmona 1-for-3; Bogach 1-for-2, 3 RBI, triple, run; and Sagdal 1-for-3, 2 RBI, homer, run.
Scarborough Force of Ontario, Canada pounded out nine hits led by Wideman, who was 2-for-3 with four RBI, and Andy Skelton and Garrity each had a hit and RBI.
Skelton started in the circle, went two innings allowing four earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Paul Koert relieved Skelton and took the loss. He pitched two innings, giving up six earned runs on eight hits. And Garrity worked 2/3 of an inning allowing three runs (none earned) on one hit, with two strikeouts and two walks.
GREMLINS FALL TO THE FORCEScarborough reached the championship by rallying from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the New York Peligro Gremlins, 6-4, in Sunday’s playoffs.
James Shields (1-for-3) tripled and drove in three runs to lead Scarborough’s eight-hit attack. Andy Skelton (2-0) came on in relief and pitched a shutout over the final 4 2/3 innings to pick up the win. He gave up one hit, with five strikeouts and a walk.
FINAL STANDINGSTeam USA 4-0
Scarborough Force 3-2
Team Quebec Senior 1-3
NY Peligro Gremlins 1-4
