KC Dodgers

Folks, I'm just too tired from tonight's game (and I need to write a jury charge by noon tomorrow in a case I will be trying next week), so instead of the usual stuff, I'll just leave you with the Associated Press' version of tonight's games with one addition. The article does not mention Karl Pringle, but he put in one heck of a performance on the mound to put K.C. in the position to earn a victory. Congrats and way to go Karl!!!! The K.C. offense finally kicked into overdrive here in Pennsylvania. We will need it against a very tough California team the next two nights. Congrats all around to the players, coaches, parents, families, friends and fans of K.C. Our record is now 2-1 in the World Series and 15 out of 17 from District to the present. Goooooooooooooooo K.C.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do it for Jakey!!!! Posted on Wed, Aug. 13, 2003 Houston 15, Washington, Pa. 6; Humacao 16, Davenport-West, Iowa 5 Associated Press WASHINGTON, Pa. - Matt West had a three-run homer and three other players also homered to lift Houston to a 15-6 win over Washington, Pa., in the Pony League World Series on Wednesday. In the first game, Humacao, Puerto Rico, hit six homers to beat Davenport-West, Iowa, 16-5. West homered in the third, while Mark Robichau, Jamies Reingold and Brian Borski each had 2-run homers to eliminate Washington from the series. Andrew Sweat had a solo homer in the third, while Nick Weaver had a two-run shot in the seventh for Washington. In the first game, Frank Molina homered three times for Humacao, Puerto Rico, tying a Pony League World Series record. Molina had a two-run homer in the first, a solo shot in the third and a three-run home run in the fourth to become the fifth player to have three homers in a Pony League World Series game. Adalberto Alvira, Christian Saez and Jonathan Ortiz also homered in the game, which was called in the fifth inning. Travis Martens had a two-run single as part of Davenport's five-run third inning against Saez.

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- A shaky outing through the first four innings proved costly to Chambersburg Suburban American in its second game of the Pony (13-14) World Series. Houston, Tex. scored nine runs in a two-inning span and defeated Suburban 10-4 on Tuesday night at Lew Hays Field, eliminating Suburban from the World Series. Suburban committed four errors, leading to a pair of unearned runs, while its pitchers hit three batters and allowed another run to score on a balk. "I don't know what happened to us," Chambersburg coach Bob Snowberger said. "I guess it's due to Texas taking it out of us. We didn't play our best game tonight." The contest started on a promising note for Suburban when starter Jeff Fisher threw three first-pitch strikes and set down Houston in order in the top half of the first inning. In the bottom half, Chambersburg loaded the bases when Zach Frelin singled, Zach Hart walked and Ryan Lehman was hit by a pitch. But Marshall Gilbert hit into a force play at the plate and Treavor Gelsinger ended the threat with a groundball out. "We had them where we wanted them in the first inning and we blew it," Snowberger said. "We could have really put the pressure on them early, but didn't." Texas got on the board with a single run in the second inning on an RBI single by Daniel Rothenberg. Chambersburg countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 2-1 -- its only lead of the contest. Brandon Brookens cracked an RBI single to score Fisher and Zach Hart's RBI fielder's choice handed Suburban the lead. But Texas broke out the bats in the third and fourth innings to pull away. Mark Robichau led off the third with a screaming single down the leftfield line. After Karl Pringle earned a one-out walk, Jamie Reingold singled to score Robichau. Matt West hit a hard grounder to Gilbert at shortstop. He fielded it cleanly, but hesitated to make a throw and the throw pulled Lehman off the bag at first, scoring Pringle. Joe Silver then delivered the crushing blow when he launched an 0-2 Fisher offering over the leftfield fence for a three-run homer for a 6-2 advantage. Fisher didn't make it through the inning, relieved by Gelsinger after allowing six runs on five hits. "He was struggling from the start," Snowberger said. "Maybe I left him in too long, but usually he comes out of it." In the fourth, Houston batted around, chasing Gelsinger from the game, scoring four more runs to take a commanding 10-2 lead. "We are a good-hitting team," Houston manager Jay Dushkin said. "We started hitting the ball well today and I hope that continues. We need to with the competition here. That's a very good team we played. They're well-coached." On Silver's home run, Dushkin said: "He hit a home a run in the Zone to give us a win. He's a clutch hitter, so I made sure I got him in the lineup tonight." Chambersburg attempted a comeback in the middle innings. In the fourth, Suburban scored two runs. Lehman served a single into rightfield, scoring Brookens. When catcher Silver tried to peg Lehman out at second base, Hart scored on the throw. Suburban threatened again in the fifth. With runners on first and second and two out, Al Benedict entered as a pinch-hitter and ripped the first pitch he saw. Unfortunately, the line drive went directly to Robichau, who didn't have to move to make the play in leftfield. "I just looked for a first-pitch fastball," Benedict said. "I put my bat on it and got it on the good part of the barrel and it went right to the leftfielder. You couldn't ask for a better hit, just for the leftfielder to be playing somewhere else." Chambersburg also stranded a runner at third in the sixth. Suburban ends the tournament season 14-2, including an East Zone title over a team that's still alive and kicking in the World Series -- Manhattan, N.Y. (2-0). "We had a good run through the season," Snowberger said. "But we got the tough bracket here. Manhattan is in the easy bracket and they'll make it all the way to the title game." By BRIAN HALL Staff writer Public Opinion

Kyle Chapman Houston finally beat its case of jet lag, then used their bats to beat the Chambersburg Suburban Americans into submission by a score of 10-4 at Lew Hays Field in Washington, Pennsylvania on Tuesday night. Jamie Reingold took the ball for K.C. and held Chambersburg scoreless in the first, stranding three runners with one out on a force at home from Jamie to Joe, and an unassisted ground ball to Beau Faulk at first base. K.C. opened the scoring in the top of the second inning on a Matt West single and a Daniel Rothenberg RBI single to right-centerfield to make the score 1-0. Shades of the other night, Chambersburg scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a (short lived) 2-1 lead after 2 innings of play. K.C. blew the game open in the top of the third inning. Mark Robichau singled, Karl Pringle walked, and Jamie Reingold drove in Mark with a single. Matt West drove in Karl Pringle with a single to make the score 3-2 in favor of K.C. Joe Silver followed, and with two strikes on him, got around on an inside pitch and powered it over the left field fence for a three run homer, driving in himself, Matt and Jamie. Chambersburg could not score in the bottom of the 3rd, and after 3 it was 6-2 in favor of K.C. K.C. added to its lead in the top of the 4th when Beau Faulk reached first on an error by the first baseman, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Mark Robichau drove Beau in with an RBI double, then went to third on a stolen base. Karl Pringle walked, and Jamie drove in Mark with a single. Matt West followed with a double, scoring both Karl and Jamie to run the score to 10-2 in favor of K.C. Andrew Espinosa and Alex Cernoch came in to pitch the 4th inning, allowing 2 runs to make the score 10-4 in favor of K.C. Alex Cernoch and Patrick Morris held Chambersburg scoreless in the 5th, 6th and 7th innings to lock in the Kyle Chapman victory by a score of 10-4. As a result of tonight's victory, K.C. is 1/4 of the way toward earning a berth in the World Series championship game. K.C. likely plays Washington, Pa., tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 8pm. Washington, Pa., is in the process of being drubbed by California-Lakewood 7-0 in the 5th inning as this article is being written. This is Scott Rothenberg signing off from Washington, Pennsylvania, saying, "It's true that sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug, but believe me, from the looks on the guys' faces after tonight's game, it's a lot more fun to be the windshield."

Kyle Chapman's road to the 2003 PONY World Series Championship got just a tad longer tonight when K.C. lost to California-Lakewood, winner of the West Zone Championship by a score of 4-2. K.C. starter, Brett Gibson and Lakewood starter, Nick Evans, traded goose eggs through three innings of play. In those three innings, K.C.'s usually potent lineup could muster only a walk to Brett Gibson that Lakewood turned into a 4-3 double play to end the third inning. Meanwhile, Brett Gibson held Lakewood to a first inning infield ground ball error, a second inning seeing eye double grounder just over third base, and a single to left-centerfield, which were erased when the Lakewood 9-hole hitter flied out to shallow left-centerfield. The game was scoreless through 3 innings of play. In the top of the 4th, Lakewood got a leadoff single and a sac bunt, but stranded the runner on second on a groundout to Brian Borski at third and a flyout to Daniel Rothenberg in right field. In the bottom of the 4th, Brian Borski led off with a line drive home run over the right field wall to give K.C. a (short lived) 1-0 lead after 4 innings of play. Lakewood scored three times in the top of the 5th on a leadoff solo home run by Lakewood pitcher Nick Evans, an infield error, a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, an RBI double to left-center by Michael Beltran, and an RBI double to right field by Trevor Coston. California-Lakewood lead 3-1 in the middle of the 5th. In the bottom of the 5th inning, K.C. got a 2-out single to right field by George Murphy, but could not capitalize on it. 3-1 Lakewood after 5 innings of play. In the top of the 6th, Lakewood pitcher, Nick Evans made sure everyone knew it was Nick Evans night in Washington, Pa., stroking his second home run of the game (and second in two innings) off reliever, Brian Borski with two outs in the 6th. K.C. got a one-out single to left by Brian Borski, but stranded him on two straight lineouts to centerfield, one of which was easily a webgem on a long shot hit by Karl Pringle. At the end of 6, it was Lakewood 4, K.C. 1. Brian held Lakewood scoreless in the top of the 7th, with the help of a neat 6-3 double play that was started by shortstop, Matt West. In the bottom of the 7th, K.C. tried to mount one of its patented late inning rallies. Jamie Reingold and Daniel Rothenberg led off with back-to-back singles up the middle. Sean Lamont advanced Jamie to third on a 4-6 fielder's choice force out at second. George Murphy drove in Jamie from third on a 4-6 fielder's choice force out at second. Joe Silver followed with a pinch hit single to the right side to bring the winning run to the plate in the person of Corey Triche. However, while lightning was striking in Houston, Texas, it did not on this night at Lew Hays field. A pitcher to first base grounder on a 1-0 count made the final score Lakewood 4, K.C. 2. What does this mean to K.C.? Not much. Instead of four straight wins, or 4 wins in 5 nights, K.C. now must simply win 5 games in 5 nights to claim the PONY World Series. Let's review the five really good things that came out of Sunday evening's loss: 1. We eliminated one of those pesky off-days and get to play 6 games in the World Series instead of 4 or 5. 2. The macaroni and cheese at the concession stand was rather tasty. 3. No one present at the field required any medical attention. 4. We helped raise the self-esteem of a bunch of poor, disadvantaged kids from Lakewood, California, before we beat the pants off 'em later this week in back-to-back games. 5. The K.C. players got to see just how privileged and fortunate they are by playing in a "friend's game" with special education youths from the Washington, Pennsylvania, area, before their game against Lakewood. After a night off tomorrow (Monday), K.C. begins its 5 games in 5 days juggernaut against the loser of tonight's game between Washington, Pa., and Chambersburg, Pa. at 5:30pm (4:30pm in Houston) on Tuesday afternoon. This is a philosophic Scott Rothenberg signing off from Washington, Pennsylvania, saying, "If you can't beat 'em, lose to 'em...... then beat the pants off 'em in a few days."

For your information ..... A special Kyle Chapman Pony League World Series web site has been set up to track scores, post writeups and action pics. Information will be updated daily before midnight. Instructions to Kyle Chapman Pony League World Series Web Site : 1. Type http://www.kcpony.org 2. Click on Side Bar - "Teams" 3. Click on "Kyle Chapman Pony League 14YO World Series" 4. Click on "Kyle Chapman Pony League" 5. Click on Side Bar for "News", "Schedule - Games, Scores", "Albums" If you have any news and / or digital pics which are pertaining to this World Series, please send me an email with an attachment to ... FChan_999@yahoo.com. I will be glad to post them on the web site. Good luck to all the World Series Teams.