Halfway's four homers eliminate Clear Spring

July 11, 2010|By BRETT NIEVES/Staff Correspondent

HALFWAY -- It wasn't played in Los Angeles and wasn't shown on national television. But it was a Home Run Derby -- the Halfway All-Stars version.

Halfway homered four times and piled on 19 runs to eliminate Clear Spring from the Maryland District 1 11-12 Little League Tournament on Saturday, winning 19-7 in a five-inning contest.

Halfway slugger Brandon Gooden started the derby in the first inning with a grand slam -- his first of two home runs -- to put Halfway ahead 6-0.

"It was a full count, I got focused and swung," Gooden said.

Halfway had a monster fifth inning as Gooden, Matt Malphurs and Zach Andrews each homered.

Andrews went 4-for-4 and finished with five RBIs, three off his home run.

"I was 0-for-6 coming into the game and I turned it on today," Andrews said.

Clear Spring scored its first run in the second inning off a Collin Willhite single. Brady Rohrer scored two more runs for Clear Spring in the third with a single, cutting Halfway's lead to three.

Halfway answered back in the bottom of the third when John Davies scored on a wild pitch and Andrews singled in a run.

Clear Spring's Spencer Schultz doubled home a run and later scored on a fielding error in the fourth.

Halfway added four runs in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 12-5. Austin Sigler pegged a two-run single and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Tanner Canfield crossed home when Andrews was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

"We did well overall in the tournament," Clear Spring manager Jason Willhite said. "Coming through the losers' bracket knocked out our pitching though."

Ian Hose and Collin Willhite each drove in a run in the fifth to cap the Clear Spring scoring.

Malphurs' two-run homer and Gooden's solo shot were hit back-to-back in the fifth for Halfway. Canfield scored on a fielding error and Andrews' homer plated three runs to end the game.

"We have to take it one hit at a time and keep it going," Halfway manager Les Martin said. "Our hitting was much better today."

Halfway will host South Mountain Monday night at 6 in an elimination game.

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