Federal 9-10 All-Stars rally again

July 03, 2009|By CONNER GILBERT/Staff Correspondent

For the Federal Little League 9-10 All-Stars, walk-off wins have become the norm.

"These are the cardiac kids," said Federal manager Charlie Wood. "They never say die."

Federal rallied for its second walk-off victory in as many days, defeating National Little League 10-9 in a Maryland District 1 9-10 Tournament losers' bracket game at National.

Federal travels to Hancock at noon today for the losers' bracket final.

National opened the scoring in the top of the first. Mitchell Wilson hit an RBI single to center and scored on an error. Anthony Hodges doubled to right to plate another run, giving National a 3-0 lead.

Federal responded in the bottom half with RBI hits by Malik Carey and Max Conrad to narrow the gap to 3-2.

Chandler Penn, National's starting pitcher, held Federal to just one run through the next four innings.

National appeared to be in control when it added to its lead in the third. Wilson's RBI single and McCoy Dutrow's run-scoring groundout gave National a 5-2 advantage.

National added four runs in the fourth. Lindsey Bedregal singled to start the inning and scored on a groundout. After a walk and a single, Wilson's three-run home run to center field appeared to be the dagger in the heart of Federal as National took a 9-2 lead.

Federal got a run back in the bottom half when Myles Nicholson homered to right center, making it 9-3.

The momentum really started swinging Federal's way in the sixth. Nicholson's RBI single brought in one run, and Nathan Kline was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.

"When we got started in the sixth, things began to snowball," said Wood. "National just ran out of pitching and we took advantage of that."

Stephen Purcell scored on a fielder's choice and Conrad walked to reload the bases. After Brady Munson's two-run single to left, a walk and a hit batter produced another run. A fielder's choice scored Munson with the tying run, and Michael Brady scored the winning run on a throwing error to home plate to complete the comeback.

"These kids are beyond their years for baseball knowledge," said Wood. "They were down, but they never lost focus."

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