KC Dodgers

The Kyle Chapman All-Star teams had mixed results on Saturday. The K.C. 14's beat NASA, 8-7, in the opening game of the PONY Gulf Coast Region Tournament, in Pasadena, Texas. Meanwhile, the Pasadena 13's came to Kyle Chapman and beat our 13's by the final score of 8-4. In the 14's game, big Brett Gibson took the mound and held a very potent NASA lineup to 1 unearned run in 5 innings of play before K.C.'s relief pitchers made it exciting, allowing 6 runs in a wild top of the 7th inning. Finally, Karl Pringle came on in relief to earn the save on a popout to left field and a crucial strikeout stranding the tying run at third base. The K.C. 14's drew first blood, striking 3 times in the bottom of the first inning. They did it when Mark Robichau was hit with a pitch, Matt West walked, both runners advanced on a passed ball, George Murphy drove in a run with a short grounder, Jamie Reingold drove in Matt West with a single, and after a balk, Daniel Rothenberg drove Jamie in with a double down the left field line. And just like that it was 3-0 in favor of K.C. NASA scored an unearned run in the top of the third on a one out single, an outfield error, and two passed balls. It was 3-1 K.C. in the middle of the 3rd. In the bottom of the frame, K.C. doubled its run output on walks to Matt West and George Murphy, and a booming three run homer to dead center field by rightfielder Daniel Rothenberg. After 3, it was K.C. ahead by a score of 6-1. K.C. added 2 more insurance runs in the bottom of the 4th inning on a walk to Brian Borski, a double by Mark Robichau and a two-RBI double by Matt West. After 4, it was 8-1 K.C. Now, one might think that a seven run lead would guarantee victory. Not necessarily. NASA nickled and dimed two K.C. relief pitchers for 5 runs on an infield error, a hit batsman, a walk, a single, a walk, an infield out, a hit batsman, a walk, a 2-RBI double. Karl Pringle came on to pitch with an 8-6 lead, runners on second and third, and one out. Karl induced the first batter to fly out to left field where Mark Robichau made an awesome catch, possibly robbing the NASA batter of a 3 run homer, making it 8-7 K.C. with the tying run on third with two outs. Three pitches later, the game was over with the ball safely in the catcher's mitt. K.C. barely hung on for a critical 8-7 win against a tough NASA team. Meanwhile, 20 miles to the west, the K.C. 13's were playing the gracious host to Pasadena, committing 9 errors in 7 innings leading to 8 Pasadena runs en route to an 8-4 loss in the opener of the K.C. Pony 13 Zone Tournament. Both Pasadena and K.C. 13 struck for an unearned run in the first inning. Pasadena added a pair of runs in the top of the 3rd on a walk and a pair of nice doubles to the outfield gaps to make the score 3-1 Pasadena. Pasadena added another pair of unearned runs in the 4th inning to run the score to 5-1, and yet another pair of unearned runs in the top of the 6th inning to make the score 7-1, in favor of Pasadena. K.C. mounted its only offensive challenge of the evening in the bottom of the 6th. A leadoff single by Paul Knowlton, a fielder's choice by Jeffrey Rohrbach, a walk to Trey Hibbert, a single by Grant Haynes, a walk to Jared Rothenberg, a walk to Dylan Hickey and a walk to Charles Mann resulted in 3 K.C. runs to make the score 7-4 in favor of Pasadena. The visitors added one final unearned run in the 7th to make the final score 8-4 when K.C.'s 3 batters all struck out to end the game. By virtue of tonight's action, the K.C. 14's will play the winner of tonight's League City- Pasadena game tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon at 3:30pm in Pasadena. Meanwhile, the K.C. 13's will play an elimination bracket game against Baton Rouge at 7pm at K.C. field in Bayland Park. That's all for now, except for GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO K.C. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See you at the ballpark(s)!!!