Clarion Dugout 12u Team Finishes Second At Meadville Mayhem Tournament (05/30/2018)
Bryce Brinkley fields his position. The Dugout team committed only two errors in the five games played.
(By CSZ Sports Writer Kenn Staub) During the weekend of May 19-20 the Clarion Dugout 12u baseball team hit the road to play in its first tournament of the 2018 season, the 11th Annual Meadville Mayhem 12u Tournament. The Clarion team acquitted itself quite well, finishing second in the ten team field. In fact, through the first three games Clarion outscored its opponents 66-6, advancing to the semifinals in the process. Things got a little tougher from there, as they took a one-run walk-off victory in the semifinals before falling in the championship game by a single run.
Pool Play
The Dugout’s tournament started with pool play on Saturday (May 19) for the purpose of determining team seedings going into Sunday’s championship bracket.
Game 1: Clarion Dugout 19 – Erie Outlaws 11u Silver 3 (four innings)
Clarion (Away) parlayed twenty hits and seven home runs in its start-to-finish victory over their opponents from Erie (Home). Not only was their offense clicking on all cylinders in this game, but the defense was just as strong, playing error free baseball.
These five players had seven home runs against Erie: Derek Smail (2), Tommy Smith, Brayden Murray (2) Bryce Brinkley, Dawson Smail (photo courtesy of Michelle Murray)
The Dugout boys scored four unanswered runs in the first and five in the second to take an early 9-0 lead. They added to the lead in the third, plating four, before the Outlaws got on the board with a single run in the bottom of the frame. Clarion scored six more in the top of the fourth, with Erie mustering another two runs to set the “mercy rule” final at 19-3.
Clarion’s home run heroes we Derek Smail and Brayden Murray with two apiece, while Bryce Brinkley, Dawson Smail, and Tommy Smith each connected for one. In addition to his two home runs Derek Smail also had a single and was credited with five RBI. Murray, like Smail, had three hits, adding a double to his pair of home runs and driving in three. Devon Lauer also was good for three hits, all singles, and an RBI. In addition to their home runs, Smith had a double and Brinkley a single. Nick Aaron contributed a single, double, and RBI. Also included in the hit parade were Jase Ferguson and Logan Lutz with doubles, while Kohen Kemmer and Tanner Miller singled. Miller joined Smith and Murray with three RBI. Brinkley, Dawson Smail, and Jake Smith had one.
Lauer got the start for Clarion, throwing nineteen pitches in his two innings of work. He did not surrender a hit or walk and struck out three. Derek Smail threw two innings of relief, striking out three on his way to receiving credit for the win.
Game 2: Clarion Dugout 22 – Grape City Smashers 12u 3 (four innings)
Nick Aaron hit a grand slam and a single against Grape City. He was credited with four RBI.
Saturday evening the Dugout (Away) squared off against the Grape City Smashers (Home) out of North East, PA, coming away with another abbreviated “mercy rule” victory. The hit totals for the Dugout were again impressive, with Clarion batters collected nine singles, a double, and three home runs (including a grand slam) as they cruised to victory. Meanwhile Clarion pitching came through with a one walk, one hit effort.
Clarion blanked Grape City during the first three innings, simultaneously taking an 8-0 lead, the result of a three run opening frame and another five in the third. The “true” Dugout explosion came in the fourth, when they added another fourteen to their existing tally, going up 22-0. Grape City attempted to fight back in their half of the inning, but the three runs they scored were too few to stave off a “ten-run rule” defeat.
Kohen Kemmer had a souble, single, and an RBI against Grape City.
Nick Aaron hit a grand slam, a single, and accounted for four RBI. Also homering were Derek Smail and Tommy Smith. In addition to going yard, Smail also singled. Kohen Kemmer had a double and single. Bryce Brinkley singled twice. Logan Lutz, Devon Lauer, Dawson Smail, and Jase Ferguson each singled. Smith and Brinkley were credited with three RBI, Lauer two, and Dawson Smail, Derek Smail, Kemmer, and Lutz one. Dawson Smail, Smith, Ferguson, and Brinkley stole bases.
Smith pitched the first inning for Clarion, striking out the side on thirteen pitches. Lutz pitched two innings and got the win, fanning three.
Championship Bracket
Clarion entered Sunday’s (May 20) single elimination championship round as the second seed behind the Erie Outlaws 12u Silver team.
Quarterfinal Game: Clarion Dugout 25 – Crawford Diamondbacks 0 (3 innings)
Jase Ferguson homered, singled, and had three RBI in the quarterfinal game.
The outcome of this game was never in doubt, as Clarion (Home) scored sixteen runs during the first and another nine in the second to shut-out the seventh seeded Diamondbacks (Away), claiming its third “mercy rule” victory of the tournament. The Dugout’s pitching was dominating, as neither Jase Ferguson nor Kohen Kemmer surrendered a hit or otherwise allowed a base runner. Clarion’s defense was once again error-free.
Ferguson (home run, single), Tommy Smith (triple, single), Derek Smail (double, single), and Logan Lutz (two singles) enjoyed multi-hit games. Though Kemmer, Bryce Brinkley, Dawson Smail, and Brayden Murray each only had one hit, their raps were all home runs. Devon Lauer, Jake Smith, and Tanner Miller singled. Dawson Smail, Ferguson, and Kemmer plated three runs, Tommy Smith and Murray two, and Nick Aaron, Derek Smail, Brinkley, Lauer, Lutz, and Miller one. Derek Smail, Lauer, and Murray each swiped bags.
Ferguson pitched two innings, throwing eighteen pitches, fifteen of which were strikes, and fanning three. Kemmer pitched an inning, throwing a mere eight pitches (seven strikes) and punching out two.
Semifinal Game: Clarion Dugout 5 – Sharon Tigers 4
Tommy Smith had the only extra base hit in the semifinal game, a double.
The going got considerably tougher in the Dugout’s (Home) semifinal match-up with the third seeded Sharon Tigers (Away). True to form, the Dugout took an early lead, scoring a run in both the first and second innings. Unlike in previous games, however, they couldn’t hold the advantage, giving up three to Sharon in the top of the third, making the score 3-2. Behind in the score for the first time in the tournament, the Dugout responded by plating two in their half of the fourth, retaking the lead 4-3. Sharon knotted the game at four apiece in the top of the fifth, setting the stage for some sixth inning heroics by the Clarion team.
In the sixth, Dawson Smail reached first on a fielder’s choice and moved to third on a Tommy Smith double to center field. With runners in scoring position, the Sharon pitcher walked Brayden Murray to load the bases. It must have been something of a relief for the Sharon players when their pitcher struck out the next Clarion hitter for the second out and then went up 1-2 in the count against the Dugout’s Devon Lauer. Seemingly about to wiggle out of a bases load, two out jam, Sharon’s pitcher threw two straight balls to a patient Lauer, making the count 3-2. The next pitch was decisive, as Lauer wore one for the team, forcing across Smail to give the Dugout a 5-4 walk-off win.
Devon Lauer was credited with the game winning RBI against Sharon.
Bryce Brinkley had the Dugout’s only multi-hit game, connecting for two. Smith’s sixth inning double was their only extra base knock. Dawson Smail, Braydon Murray, Derek Smail, Kohen Kemmer, and Logan Lutz singled. In addition to Lauer’s game winning RBI, Muarry and Nick Aaron also received credit for plating a run. Kemmer stole two bags, with Brinkley and Lauer each swiping one.
Smith started on the bump for the Dugout, pitching three innings and striking out six. Dawson Smail was in the right place at the right time, throwing the final three innings, striking out another six, and receiving credit as the winning pitcher.
Championship: Tool City Smashers 8 – Clarion Dugout 7
Brayden Murray homered and had three RBI in the championship game.
It was number one versus number two in the championship game, as the first seeded Tool City Smashers (Home), playing in front of their hometown fans, and the Clarion Dugout (Away) squared off. Clarion took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. The Smashers scored two in opening frame, another pair in the second, and three in the third to go up 7-3. There was no quit in the kids from Clarion, as they rallied to score two in the fourth and fifth while holding Tool City scoreless to tie the game 7-7. Tool City kept Clarion off the board in the sixth and then used a single in the bottom to take a walk-off 8-7 win.
Devon Lauer posted a multi-hit game for the Dugout, knocking two singles. Jase Ferguson and Braydon Murray both went yard. Bryce Brinkley and Kohen Kemmer each doubled, while Dawson Smail chipped in a single. Murray led the way with three RBI. Tommy Smith, Brinkley, Ferguson, and Kemmer plated one apiece.
Lauer started for Clarion, going three innings and striking out four. Smith worked two innings out of the bullpen, fanning four.
Team Members (in alphabetic order): Nick Aaron, Bryce Brinkley, Jase Ferguson, Kohen Kemmer, Devon Lauer, Logan Lutz, Tanner Miller, Brayden Murray, Dawson Smail, Derek Smail, Jake Smith, Tommy Smith
Coaches (not pictured): Bill Smith (manager), Mike Ferguson, David Smail, Rick Miller, Chadd Murray (scorekeeper)
Manager Comments
Dugout manager Bill Smith considered the long ball the highlight of the first three games. He noted that nine of his twelve players hit home runs, displaying team power up-and-down the line-up. A benefit of the decisive victories was that it gave him and his coaching staff the opportunity to showcase a variety of pitchers. Specifically, he trotted out eight different guys who struck out a combined thirty-five in the five games. “Unfortunately the bats went a little flat in the last two games, we barely got by Sharon and came up a run short in the championship,” said Smith.
Smith thanked his team’s sponsors including KB & B Dugout of Clarion, Clarion American Legion Post #66, and the Fryburg Sportsman Club.
(story based on GameChanger information and statistics courtesy of Mike Smith)
(unless other wise noted, all photographs courtesy of Diane Lutz)