SMI Downs Lions In Little League Action (05/12/14)

(By Coach Eric Simko)

SMI started off early Friday night. Skylar Rhoades led off and started the action with a single. Todd Brazier drew a walk and Noah DiTullio (pool playing) singled along with Kaden Park, scoring Rhoades and Brazier respectively.

Reinsel then took the mound for SMI. He faced four striking out the first two batters. Reinsel took care of the 3rd out too on a groundball 1-3 play. 2-0 after the first.

The 2nd inning was more of the same for SMI as Reinsel drew a walk and eventually scored following another Rhoades single.

Reinsel in the bottom of the 2nd struck out the first batter then gave up a single to Ashton Rex who was picked off at first base by heads up play by SMI catcher Danny Ketner and first baseman Kaden Park (2-3 play). Reinsel then struck out the next batter to end the inning. 3-0 after the 2nd.

DiTullio started off the top of the 3rd with a single. Christian Simko and Jesse Lewis drew walks. Reinsel then singled scoring DiTullio; Rhoades doubled scoring Simko and Lewis.

Lions weren’t able to get anything going in the 3rd and the game moved into the 4th inning. After 3 it was 6-0 SMI.

In the 4th with two outs, Park and Simko drew consecutive walks. Gary Matus then singled recording his first career Little League hit scoring Park. Lewis and Reinsel then drew consecutive walks, plating Simko. Rhoades then hit his second double of the day scoring Matus, Lewis, and Reinsel. Ketner then singled followed by Todd Brazier who doubled and scored Rhoades and Ketner. 13-0 SMI.

Reinsel took the mound again for SMI. Benny Smith wasted no time starting the inning with a leadoff double. Logan Lerch then followed with a single. Donnie Cunningham then reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Lerch put out at second. Cunningham then stole second. With runners on 2nd and 3rd for the Lions, Aiden Quinn belted a double to left centerfield, scoring Smith and Cunningham. Now 13-2 with Quinn on second base; SMI made a pitching change and went to Skylar Rhoades.

Rhoades struck out 2 of the next 3 batters to end the game via the mercy rule. SMI 13-Lions 2.
Reinsel faced 15 batters in 31/3 innings and struck out 5. Rhoades faced 3 batters in 2/3 of an inning striking out 2. Rhoades was 4-4 at the plate.

(Thanks to Coach Simko for this article)