http://home.roadrunner.com/~lgrhythm/WS10/LLLBvLLLW06-06-2010.HTMLThe White Sox entered the post season with a bang on Sunday afternoon with resounding 11-0 victory over the Braves. The win places the Sox in the driver's seat of the double elimination Ladera Little League Major division post season tournament. A tournament victory earns the winner a ticket to the Big Dance, the District 25 Tournament of Champions which starts Saturday at Culver Marina Little League.
Sunday's contest was a fiercely contested pitchers duel through 3 1/2 innings. The White Sox sent
Jibri Walden (7-0 2.23 ERA-6) to the mound. The Braves countered with Aaron Greenfield who held the Sox to 1 run in an earlier contest.
Jibri was nearly flawless in the first inning, retiring the side on 11 pitches. The White Sox defense was solid behind him as they converted two ground ball outs in the inning. Braves second baseman, Dominic Johnson, reached base with a ground ball single past scrambling shortstop,
Grant Craddolph, but was left stranded as Jibri recorded his first strike out of the game to close the inning.
Aaron was equally proficient in the bottom of the first inning, making quick work of the Sox with 10 pitches; recording 2 strikeouts in the process.
In the top of the second inning, Jibri stayed on track striking out 2 and handling a come-backer off the bat of Nikelle Galatas.
The Sox scratched out a run in the bottom of the second when
Lawrence Gilliam drew a full count walk. Jibri followed with sharply hit single to left center field moving Lawrence to third base on the play. With runner's at first and third, Coach Barry Craddolph gave the steal sign to Jibri to get the Sox out of a force situation at second base. On the play, Braves catcher, Derek Marshall fired a strike to shortstop, Gary McCoy to nail Jibri at second base. Waiting for the ball to clear the cut area, Lawrence bolted from third base and barely beat out the return throw from Gary to Derek to plate the Sox's first run of the game. Aaron remained sturdy on the mound and closed the inning with two strikeouts. After two innings, the Sox held a slim 1-0 margin.
Returning to the mound in the top of the third, Jibri continued to befuddle Braves batters with an arsenal of tailing fast balls, and deceptive breaking balls. The first two Braves batters of the inning grounded out harmlessly to Lawrence first base. Lead off batter, Jalen Johnson, sent a bloop single over second baseman, Kelvin Murillo's head for the Braves' second hit of the day. Jibri remained focused and forced a routine ground ball to second, competently handled by Kelvin who threw to Lawrence for the final out of the inning.
For the second inning in a row, the Sox placed the lead off batter on base as the speedy,
Alonzo Billips, legged out an infield single. Playing the averages, Coach Craddolph called for Kelvin to move Alonzo into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kelvin laid down a perfect sacrifice to move Alonzo along; and almost beat out the throw to first in the process. Aaron dug deep and struck out the next two White Sox batters to strand Alonzo.
After 3, the score remained, White Sox 1, Braves 0.
The Sox defense maintained it's stingy disposition in the top of the fourth. Kelvin handled a sharply hit ground ball off of the bat of Derek Marshall for out number one. Aaron sent a sizzling ground ball up the middle; but was robbed of a base hit when Grant Craddolph turned in Web Gem play - fielding the ground ball a delivering a bullet to the lanky, fully stretched, Lawrence at first base for out number 2. Jibri took care of the final out himself with a strike out.
White Sox waited with anticipation as the Sox sent the meat of the batting order to the plate to start the fourth inning. Undeterred, Aaron retired the lead off batter of the inning on strikes. White Sox clean up batter,
Lawrence Gilliam (.571 BA), stepped to the plate and delivered a moon-shot solo home run that just cleared the left field fence for his
league leading 6th home run of the year. The shot injected a shot of confidence and energy into the White Sox dugout as Jibri followed with his second basehit of the game. With Jibri at first, catcher,
Robert Togia, went opposite field for a single. Aaron settled in to get the next batter on strikes for out number two. The calling card of a good team is its ability to produce runs with two outs. On Sunday afternoon, the Sox took a giant leap in the right direction. Alonzo continued the rally with a walk. In the process, Jibri scored on a wild pitch to make the score 3-0.
Kelvin Murillo followed with an infield single that was barely knocked down by Gary at shortstop to score Robert. Leadoff batter,
Kaelin Woodard, showed patience at the plate and drew a walk to load the bases for
Dominic Vasquez. Falling behind in the count 0-2, Dominic put together an impressive at bat, displaying a good eye and fouling off pitches when needed to earn an RBI base on balls to score Alonzo. The Braves went to the bullpen and brought in Gary McCoy to pitch to Grant. Grant maintained plate discipline and refused to swing at low pitches. During the at bat, two balls got past the catcher, and Kelvin and Kaelin were able to score on wild pitches. Grant drew a walk to place runners at first and third for Lawrence. Lawrence collected his second hit of the game with a screamer down the third base line for a double, scoring Dominic and Grant in the process; making the score 9-0 White Sox. Needing one run to end the game on the mercy rule, pitcher Jibri Walden stepped to the plate and drilled a deep fly ball over the left center field fence for a 2 RBI walk off home run. The blast was Jibri's fourth of the year.
Final score, White Sox 11, Braves 0.
You can find the box score here.
The Braves showed resilience on Monday evening as they eliminated the Dbacks from the playoffs with a victory on the arms of Jaylen Johnson and Dominic Johnson.
The Sox will face the Braves on Tuesday at 6PM for the Championship.
Many thanks to the Vasquez family for the awesome BBQ after the game.
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Ladera Little League White Sox
