State Schedule/Results
Here are the schedule and results for the double-elimination Ohio Little League 12-year-old baseball tournament at the Fields of Dreams complex, located at 410 McClurg Road in Boardman:
Saturday, July 16
Hamilton West Side 12, Washington Court House 1, four innings
Canfield 12, Tallmadge 1, four innings
Galion 6, Guernsey County 1
New Albany 6, Maumee 2
Sunday, July 17
Game 5 — Canfield vs. Minford, field No. 1, 2 p.m.
Game 6 — Galion vs. Tuscarawas County, field No. 3, 2 p.m.
Game 7 — Hamilton West Side vs. Jefferson, field No. 1, 4 p.m.
Game 8 — Guernsey County vs. Maumee, field No. 3, 4 p.m.
Monday, July 18
Game 9 — Washington Court House vs. Game 5 loser, field No. 1, 5 p.m.
Game 10 — Tallmadge vs. Game 6 loser, field No. 3, 5 p.m.
Game 13 — New Albany vs. Game 5 winner, field No. 1, 7 p.m.
Game 14 — Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, field No. 2, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, July 19
Game 11 — Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, field No. 1, 2 p.m.
Game 12 — Game 10 winner vs. Game 7 loser, field No. 1, 4 p.m.
Game 17 — Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, field No. 1, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, July 20
Game 15 — Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 loser, field No. 1, 2 p.m.
Game 16 — Game 11 winner vs. Game 14 loser, field No. 1, 4 p.m.
Thursday, July 21
Game 18 — Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner, field No. 1, 5 p.m.
Friday, July 22
Losers’ Bracket Final
Game 19 — Game 18 winner vs. Game 17 loser, field No. 1, 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 23
Championship
Game 20 — Game 17 winner vs. Game 19 winner, field No. 1, noon
Game 21 (if necessary) — Game 20 winner vs. Game 20 loser, field No. 1, 2 p.m.
Hamilton West Side’s opener in the Ohio Little League 12-year-old baseball tournament was like a slow burn that gradually became a roaring fire.
The locals tallied two runs in the second and third innings Saturday afternoon, then piled up eight runs in the fourth to bury Washington Court House 12-1 at Boardman’s Fields of Dreams.
“I think it was a good game altogether,” said Hamilton shortstop Cayden Evans, a catalyst in the leadoff spot with a double, a single, two walks, two runs and two RBIs. “It took us a little to get going, but once we did, I think we put it to ’em.”
Landyn Vidourek cracked a two-run home run and scored three times, Landon Herrmann clubbed a two-run homer, and Jacob Harmon was 2-for-3 with a double for West Side in the four-inning, run-rule triumph. Matthew Goll, Braedyn Moore, Curtus Moak and Isaac Craft added RBIs.
“My bench really hit the ball well,” Hamilton coach Tim Nichting said. “Herrmann hit a ball that I can’t tell you how far it went. Craft had good swings, and (Jordan) Jones had good swings.
“We started slow, there’s no doubt. My group just needs to get a little bit more confidence and believe in themselves a little bit more than they do. I believe in them. We’re a pretty good hitting team. They’ve just got to start understanding that themselves.”
Micaden Stephens, Evans and Moore combined on a one-hitter for West Side, which will return to the Fields of Dreams at 4 p.m. on Sunday to face District 1 champion Jefferson.
“The mind-set’s the same,” said Vidourek, a left fielder. “Just come out and win and play our best and not be scared and hit the ball.”
Moak and Evans had RBI singles in the second inning, but it was Vidourek’s third-inning homer that really seemed to light the fuse for Hamilton.
Goll drew a two-out walk and Vidourek followed by sending a ball over the fence in right-center field. It was the last pitch of the day for WCH starter Connor Bucher.
Vidourek’s reaction? “I did it,” he said with a grin.
“Right when Landyn hit that home run, I think everybody got into their groove,” Evans said.
West Side’s fourth inning was highlighted by Herrmann’s moon shot over the left-field fence. The winners finished with 11 hits against three WCH pitchers — Bucher, Hugh Silberman and Weston Melvin.
Washington Court House struck out eight times and could only manage a fourth-inning infield single by Karson Runk. Melvin was next at the plate and reached base on a dropped fly ball, and he scored on a passed ball.
“Before the game, my kids looked like deer in the headlights,” WCH coach Brandon Runk said. “I tried to get them pumped up, but that’s a very good team over there. I expect some big things out of that team.
“Anytime we made a mistake, they took advantage of it. They hit the ball very well, and they’ve got very good pitching. Their 4 and 5 pitchers would probably be my ace.
“If we don’t make mistakes, the score’s not that bad. Our kids understand if maybe we come with a little more confidence, we probably don’t beat a team of that caliber, but we could play a little better.”
Stephens pitched the first two innings and struck out five for Hamilton. Evans went 1.2 innings, and Moore fanned the only batter he faced.
Nichting said right-hander Maddox Pennington will likely get the mound start against Jefferson.
“I’m hoping we can come out and score some runs,” Nichting said. “Playing four days in a row kind of makes it tough on your pitching. We want to try to save pitchers until we get to the meat of the tournament.”
Jefferson, which had a first-round bye, will counter with righty Christian Hall.
“He throws hard, and his slider makes the fastball look that much faster,” Jefferson coach Ryan Cotton said. “He keeps you on your heels.”
Asked to describe his squad, Cotton replied, “This is our first time in the state tournament. We’ve got a couple power hitters, but we’re more of a small-ball team with good speed. We pride ourselves on our defense. Hopefully that doesn’t turn around and bite me in the butt.”
While Jefferson is seeking its first state championship, West Side is going after its 16th state crown.
“We’re not coming here to lose,” Evans said. “We’re coming here to win this thing for sure.”
Washington Court House will play in a losers’ bracket game Monday, facing either Canfield or Minford at 5 p.m.
“We’re going to take a deep breath and have some fun this weekend,” Brandon Runk said. “I’m proud of my kids regardless. We made it this far … hopefully we’ll give it our best go Monday.”
Hamilton West Side 022-8—12-11-1
Washington Court House 000-1—1-1-2
WP — Micaden Stephens; LP — Connor Bucher; HR — HWS: Landyn Vidourek, Landon Herrmann
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