PONY plan goes awry in Zone sweep

August 01, 2010

WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Mark Koontz had a plan for the Hagerstown PONY League 14 All-Stars.

Play three games in the East Zone Tournament and come home.

The All-Stars followed the plan, but not the way thier manager drew it up.

Hagerstown followed Friday's rousing victory with a pair of losses on Saturday to be eliminated from a chance to advance to the World Series. Hagerstown fell 10-0 to Chesterfield (Va.) in the winners' bracket final before losing 6-1 to Bergen Beach (N.Y.) to end their tournament run.

Hagerstown struggled through the second day of the tournament, collecting just five hits in the two games.

"The pitching was strong, but we just didn't hit," said Koontz.

Chesterfield put on a slow-and-steady show to lock up the win while Hagerstown bearly put up a fight.

"We had the bases loaded once and couldn't get a timely hit," Koontz said. "We didn't put any pressure on them."

Ryan Byard started for Hagerstown, allowing four runs in three innings. Nick Sauble and Kenny Mack came on in relief. Andrew Yacyk, Dylan Stouffer and Derek Herbert had Hagerstown's three hits.

In the nightcap, Bergen Beach got even with Hagerstown for the 14-8 loss it suffered in Friday's opener.

Hagerstown managed two hits -- a single by Austin Stone and a double by Stouffer -- and got its only run in the fifth inning on a passed ball.

J.R. Rhinehart allowed seven hits in a complete-game loss.

"He pitched well," Koontz said. "You still have to score runs."

Under Koontz's orginal plan, Hagerstown would win three straight games to sweep into the World Series. The PONYs came up short.

"It's disappointing, but the boys had a good run," Koontz said.

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