West Side one step away from LLWS

Team must avenge earlier loss to make third trip to Williamsport in last five years.

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Updated 1:39 AM Saturday, August 13, 2011

By Jay Morrison

Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS — The Hamilton West Side Little League team broke one trend to get to today’s Great Lakes Regional championship game, and it’s going to have to snap another one to reach the ultimate destination.

West Side needs just one more win to advance to the program’s third Little League World Series in the last five years, but it will have to come against a La Grange, Ky., team that beat Hamilton 14-7 in a pool game last Saturday. Only twice in Great Lakes Regional history has a team avenged an earlier loss with a victory in the title game.

“No one had ever beaten an undefeated No. 1 seed before, but we were able to do that,” West Side coach Josh Sams said, referring to his team’s 4-3 win against Evansville, Ind. in Wednesday’s semifinals.

“I was happy with the way we hit the ball against Kentucky in that first game,” Sams continued. “If you score seven runs, you should win the game. But our pitching was a little erratic and our defense really let us down.”

West Side committed four errors in that game, although it easily could have been charged with six. And four pitchers combined to issue seven walks and throw 15 wild pitches.

But neither Sams nor La Grange coach Brad Bates is expecting to see a repeat of that performance.

“Absolutely not,” Bates said. “They’re a great team or else they wouldn’t be here. They beat that Indiana team, which was a great victory for them, so we’re expecting it to be a battle. We’re preparing for a slugfest.”

The seven runs West Side scored against La Grange was the most Bates’ squad allowed the whole tournament. Led by left-handed ace Griffin McLarty, today’s probably starter, La Grange has thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings.

McLarty, who did not pitch against West Side in the last game, has yet to allow an earned run in 8 2/3 innings. He’s surrendered just four hits with 17 strikeouts and three walks.

Sams has all of his pitchers available except for Ryan Kellum, who threw 84 pitches and got the win against Evansville in the semifinals.

“I’ve got my heart set on Korren (Thompson),” Sams said. “I think we’ll start him and see if he’s got his good stuff. If not, Jake (Pennington) throws a lot of strikes and is always around the plate.

“We’ve got Shaun (Brandenburg) and Austin (Broshear), too,” Sams continued. “I’ve got the four horsemen left. Hopefully one of the four will be on, and we can ride this all the way to Williamsport.”

Today’s game

What: Great Lakes Regional championship

Who: Hamilton West Side vs. La Grange, Ky.

When: 11 a.m.

Where: Ruben F. Glick Center, Indianapolis

TV: ESPN

Radio: WMOH-AM (1450)

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