West Side moves on with 2-1 win

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Staff photo by Pat Auckerman/West Side little league baseball team defeated Indiana Wednesday, August 12, in regional semifinals to continue on in the Great Lakes Tournament.

By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer Updated 6:54 AM Thursday, August 13, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS — Leave it to the big man to deliver the big shot.

Six-foot-2 Matt Snyder sent the Hamilton West Side Little League team into the Great Lakes Regional semifinals Wednesday night with a two-out, tiebreaking home run that lifted the team to a 2-1 victory against Indiana.

West Side will turn around and play Indiana again at 4:30 p.m. today in the single-elimination semifinals, with the winner advancing to the ESPN-televised regional championship game Saturday.

“It’s probably the greatest feeling I’ve ever had in my life,” Snyder said of his home run, which was his first hit in four games at the regional.

“I was so excited I almost missed first base,” Snyder laughed. “I just barely dragged my foot across the top of it.”

The home run was one of just three hits for West Side batters, who struck out 12 more times to bring the team’s total to 31 in the last three games.

But none of that mattered when Snyder, who was on in relief of winning pitcher Joey Hudson, struck out Cameron Curry to set off the celebration.

“For the last week, week and a half, I’ve probably called him every name I can think of,” Hamilton coach Mark Maus said of Snyder. “But he stepped up tonight. I mean, you see what he can do. He’s amazing. He hit that ball on a line 280, 290 feet, and then he comes in to pitch in the sixth and throws the heck out of the ball.”

Also coming up huge for West Side was Hudson. Working with no margin for error due to the team’s offensive struggles, Hudson battled his way out of trouble time and again.

He stranded seven runners in his five innings, including guys in scoring position in the fifth, fourth and second innings.

“I was really nervous (Tuesday) night, but I never got nervous during the game,” said Hudson, who allowed seven hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. “If they got guys on, I just tried to battle back.”

Snyder, who was making his first pitching appearance of the regional, followed suit. He put runners on first and second before fanning Curry to end the game.

“It was an ugly win,” Maus said. “But I’ll take it.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2193or jmorrison@coxohio.com.

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