Burns And Burns Defeats SMI in Rubber Match, 9-5

(By Kenn Staub – Bruns and Burns Manager)

 
Burns & Burns and SMI entered their Wednesday evening Little League contest (05/28/2014) having each won one apiece in their three game, season series. With bragging rights on the line, it was Burns & Burns who prevailed, besting SMI 9-5 behind a late inning rally and shut down pitching to close out the game.

Playing as the away team, Burns & Burns jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Hayden Callen led off the inning with double to left field and moved to third on a ground out by the next batter. From there Callen stole home as Tyler Schmader was in the process of drawing a two out walk. Ethan Burford proceeded to drive Schmader home with a double to center field. After holding SMI scoreless in the bottom half of the inning, Burns & Burns added two more runs to their lead in the top of the second. Burns & Burns’s lead-off batter, Bryan Andreas, gained first after being hit by a pitch and then stole second as the following hitter, Reece Geiger, drew a walk. With runners on first and second, Callen doubled to center field, scoring Andreas and pushing Geiger to third. Geiger scored when Lake Staub put a ball in play on the right side, staking Burns & Burns to a 4-0 lead. SMI could get nothing going in the bottom of the inning and, despite a one out triple by Ethan Burford, Burns & Burns was unable to push anything across the plate in the top of the third.

The dormant SMI offense came alive in the bottom of the third. Skylar Rhoades led off the inning, reaching first as the beneficiary of a four pitch walk. Rhoades stole second and proceeded to third on an infield single by the inning’s second batter, Daniel Ketner. Christian Simko stroked a double to left field, scoring both Rhoades and Ketner, ultimately winding up on third as the result of an error on the play. With Simko perched on third and Burns & Burns yet to record an out, Todd Brazier plated Simko on a double of his own to left. Brazier, not content at second, stole third and went home on a Kaden Park sacrifice, knotting the game at 4-4.

The first two Burns & Burns batters of the fourth inning, Geiger and Jordy Hesdon walked. Geiger scored the away team’s only run when he reached home from second on a Callen single to left field, giving Burns & Burns a 5-4 lead. The lead wouldn’t last long, however, as Rhoades went yard for SMI with a two out, solo blast to right-center in the bottom of the inning, making the score 5-5.

Burns & Burns would take the lead for good in the fifth inning. Andreas drew a one out walk and stole second as the next hitter, Geiger, was being given a free pass to pass to first. Hesdon followed with a bunt, which, because of a throwing error, scored Andreas from second, moved Geiger to third, and enabled the batter to ultimately reach second. Callen loaded the base when he walked, with Geiger scoring when Lake Staub also walked. Ahead 7-4 Callen, on in relief for Burns & Burns, struck out two of the three SMI batters he faced in the bottom of the inning, the other grounding to first.

The top of the sixth saw Burns & Burns add two insurance runs. Andreas walked with two outs and advanced to third when Geiger put the ball in play and reached second. Hesdon loaded the bases with a walk. Callen drove in Andreas from third on an infield single, with Staub walking to force across Geiger. Ahead 9-5, Callen took the mound in the bottom of the sixth, sealing the Burns & Burns win in dominating fashion by striking out the three SMI batters he faced on nine pitches.

Callen (two singles, two doubles) and Burford (double, triple) both had multi-hit games for Burns & Burns, with Staub and Geiger each chipping in singles. Staub led Burns & Burns with four RBI, Callen had two and Burford one. Ketner (two singles) was the only SMI batter to have multiple hits, with Rhoades (home run), Simko (double), and Brazier (double) each notching one. Rhoades, Simko, Brazier, and Park were each credited with batting in a run apiece.

Schmader started the game for Burns & Burns, going an inning-and-a-third with two strike outs. He was relieved by Staub, who recorded three strike outs in two-and-a-third innings. Callen came on for Burns & Burns in the fifth and sixth, striking out five on his way to getting the win. It was another efficient pitching performance for Burns & Burns as their three hurlers combined to complete the game in 87 pitches. Owen Reinsel started for SMI and struck out four in three-and-a-third innings. Appearing in relief were Brazier (two strikeouts in one inning), Rhoades (a third of an inning), Park (three strikeouts in one-and-a third innings), and Simko (one strikeout in a third of an inning).

(Thanks to Kenn Staub for this article.)