Kitsap County Classic Tournament Report

The Mounties were up for the challenge and jumped to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first against the stunned Vipers, thus chasing the starting pitcher after the first inning.  A walk by Yang, an RBI single by Younan, and 2 Vipers errors were major contributors to the fast paced start.  Unfortunately, the quick start that made West Hills pull their starter worked in the Vipers' favour because they put in a pitcher that shut the Mountie offense right down.

The Vipers were able to cut the lead to 1 in the bottom of the 2nd after a HBP was followed by a two run blast to left field by the West Hills' monster 1st baseman.  The Vipers had all of the momentum, and their pitcher held the Mounties hitless from the 2nd to the 4th inning.  The Vipers took the lead in the bottom of the 4th scoring 2 runs to make the score 4-3 after 4 innings. 

In a game that felt like it was slipping away, the Vipers added an insurance run in the bottom of the 5th, and that was all they needed as the Vipers pitchers and defense was rock solid the rest of the way. In the end, it was a solid game with good defense and pitching with each team only committing 2 errors.  Hogan took the loss pitching 4 innings giving up 4 runs 3 earned on 3 hits 2 walks (one intentional) and a HBP while striking out 2 Vipers batters.  Sebben pitched 2 innings of relief giving up 1 run on 2 hits, 2 walks and recording 1 strikeout.  Quito led the offense with 2 hits, a stolen base, and a run scored.  

Game Two: Mounties 6 Kitsap Americans 15U 5
The Mounties did not have much time to dwell on the loss to West Hills as they were slated to play the other local Kitsap Americans 15U team 15 minutes later.  The Mounties were determined to right the ship, and win the second game of the day hoping to: 1) redeem themselves and; 2) receive a decent draw for the quarter-finals on Sunday.

The Mounties came out fast again scoring 2 runs in the top of the first inning.  Quito started the game off with a 2 strike single to right field. Yang sac bunted to the pitcher who threw it into right field and that scored Quito.  Ensing then singled to cash in Yang, and the Mounties were off to the races, or so they thought.

Mounties starter Gee struggled and sandwiched a hit, an error in left field and a balk in between 3 walks, and the Mounties found themselves tied at 2 after 1 inning.  Things continued in a downward spiral with a lifeless 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second, and the Mounties struggles continued with 2 more walks and a misread ball to left field that scored both Americans base runners. The Mounties now trailed 4-2, and things were not looking good. The Mounties were able to re-energize after Yang singled in the top of the third and Younan came within inches of tying the game with one swing of the bat, but instead had to settle for an RBI double 3/4 of the way up the left field wall.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the first Americans batter walked, and was squeezed in, and to make matters worse, the bunt was botched defensively. This ended Gee's day on the mound so the Mounties turned to the veteran Quito, who got the Mounties out of a jam and then out of the inning down only 2.  With the score 5-3 after 3 complete innings, the 4th inning provided no significance as neither team could muster any offense. Heading into the top of the 5th inning, the Mounties knew they were running out of time, needed to mount a comeback and that's exactly what they did.

Kingsbury started things off with a walk and Yang followed suit. Yang advanced to second, and Kingsbury scored on a balk.  Ensing had an infield single and stole second to set the table for Younan, who didn't disappoint with a shot to left field scoring both Yang and Ensing.  The Mounties leading 6-5 brought in Kingsbury to shut the door in the bottom of the 5^th.  With time expired he pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning for the save.  Quito picked up the win, his first of the year.  Ensing and Younan had 2 hits each and Younan had 3 RBI's. Yang scored 3 runs.  It wasn’t the Mounties most enthusiastic effort, but in the end they avenged their morning loss, and ultimately put themselves in a good position to receive a good seed for the quarter-finals.

Quarter-Finals: Mounties 7 Crimson Braves 16U 6 (Extra Innings)
After the seeding games were through on Saturday, the Mounties finished 4th out of 9 teams finding themselves matched up against a very strong, very old, very big, very loud Crimson Braves 16U team from the Auburn/Renton area.  The Mounties sent Younan to the hill to combat the older Braves team and he did a masterful job of it.  After a scoreless top half of the first inning, the Mounties had their chance and took full advantage off the tall hard throwing righty from Auburn.  Quito started the game with a walk and Yang promptly doubled to score him.  Ensing came up and singled to right and Yang was able to score off an errant throw by the right fielder.  Hogan and Younan were dealt back to back walks and with the bases juiced, Lindeman scorched a single to left field scoring Ensing. Gee came up with 1 out and ripped a shot to second base that the second baseman couldn't handle clean and in turn started a very strange play that was a scorekeeper's nightmare.  The second baseman threw it to the shortstop at second base for a fielder's choice out who then threw it to third at which point the force was off.  There was no apparent tag but the runner was called out. After much discussion, the play was not reversed, but it was determined that the run scored before the tag was applied at third, so Gee got an RBI on the play.  After the dust had settled and three mound visits by catchers, teammates and a coach, the Mounties held a 4-0 lead over the bewildered Braves.

The game settled down after that with no scoring in the 2nd or 3rd innings.  The Braves finally got to Mounties starter Younan in the top of the 4th when a batter reached by error and the next Brave took a 1-1 offering out of the park. The Mounties entered the bottom of the 4th up only 4-2 facing a new pitcher.  Tintero welcomed that pitcher to the game with a first pitch bomb to center field.  The Mounties led 5-2 after 4.  In the top of the 5th, Younan ran into more problems after hitting a batter. With 2 outs, the leadoff batter came up and launched a homerun to left field cutting the lead to 1.  Younan, visibly rattled, walked the next batter and gave up another hit and his day was done giving way to Sebben, who was making his second relief appearance in two days. Sebben came in a struck out the 4 batter on 3 pitches to get the Mounties out of a huge jam.

The Mounties were stymied in the bottom of the 5th, and the Braves were on the warpath. In the top of the 6th, the braves led off the inning with a single, and a walk. The Braves tied the game up with a groundout to the shortstop.  With 2 outs, Sebben walked the next 2 batters to load the bases spelling the end for him.  Kingsbury and Sebben traded places and Kingsbury, making his second relief appearance in two days put out the fire in one pitch popping up the next batter up to end the inning.   The time limit had expired so the 6th would be the final inning unless extras were needed.  The Mounties thought they had a walk off homerun by Tintero, but it bounced off the wall in the right center gap, and that's all the Mounties could muster setting up extra innings.

The extra innings in this tournament were international rules, which state that the last out of the previous inning starts at 2nd base with no outs. The Mounties have been in two other international rules extra innings games in the past; one in the States and one in the 2011 Western Canadian Championships, but have never come out victorious.  In the top of the 7th, after an error put the runner to third, a single off Kingsbury put the Braves up one heading into the bottom of the 7th.  With Kingsbury starting at 2nd, Quito laid down a perfect drag bunt and then promptly stole second to put the tying and winning runs in scoring position with no outs.  With the infield in and 1 out, Ensing hit a rope over the leaping 3rd baseman to score Kingsbury to knot the game back up at 6.  Ensing stole second forcing Crimson to intentionally walk  Hogan to load the bases.  Younan came up and took out his earlier pitching frustrations out on the Braves with a walk off double to center field to score Quito and send the underdog Mounties into the semi-finals.  Quito, Ensing, and Tintero each had 2 hits.  

Semi-Finals: Mounties 5 Federal Way Warriors 15U 3
The Mounties had no time to celebrate, as the semi-finals stared immediately after the quarters since it went extra innings.  The Mounties faced off against the #1 seeded Federal Way Warriors who were quite exuberant in the stands after the Mounties knocked off the tough 16U Crimson Braves team.  The Mounties, now brimming with confidence and still in an underdog role, didn't seem too intimidated by the not as big 15U Warriors. The Mounties were game for the Warriors and once again for the 4th time in the tournament, jumped to an early lead.  Quito laced a single to center to lead off the game and stole second continuing his hot tournament at the plate.  After 2 strikeouts, Hogan ripped a single to left to score Quito, and Younan followed up with another hard shot to left.  The inning ended with another strikeout, but the Mounties had the 1-0 lead.

The Mounties sent Ensing to the hill and he was dealing early pitching a perfect game through 3 innings.  Meanwhile the Mounties were flying high heading into the second inning and Tintero got all  of the 3-1 offering to lead off the inning only to have the Warriors center fielder climb the wall in center field on the dead run and rob Tintero of a homerun.  The Mounties coaching staff, and many others in attendance all said it was the best catch they had ever seen in a youth baseball game at any level.  It was a play so spectacular that both teams exited the dugouts to give a standing ovation.  After the drama died down, Gee walked, and Quito doubled past the diving center fielder to score Gee.

In the top of the 3rd, Ensing led off the inning with a first pitch blast to center field which saw, who else, but the pesky center fielder scale the wall at full speed once again, only to see the ball tip off his glove this time for a homerun, but proving that the first time was no fluke.  The Mounties took the 3-0 lead into the 4th where the Mounties continued their offensive onslaught.  Kingsbury, Quito, and Yang all singled to load the bases. Ensing had an RBI groundout, and Hogan singled to center to cash in Quito.

The Warriors were finally able to somewhat solve Ensing putting together 2 hits to score 2 runs.  The Mounties couldn't put anything together in the 5^th and the Warriors put another run on the board in the bottom half to narrow the lead to 5-3.  The Mounties thought they might get something going in the 6th, only to have the rally snuffed out by who else? The center fielder covering a ton of ground to make a diving catch in left field, yes that is correct, LEFT FIELD.  The Mounties were able to escape the bottom of the 6th unscathed after a Warrior batter singled with two outs, and Younan after cutting the ball caught the Warrior base runner taking too aggressive a turn around third base, and the Mounties executed a perfect rundown to end the threat. 

In the top of the 7th, the Mounties were once again threatening, and saw Lindeman and Tintero rip back to back singles to start the inning off.  Lee came off the bench and laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position.  Kingsbury came up and hit a fairly deep fly to center field, and with Lindeman tagging up at 3rd, the center fielder threw a 250 foot no bounce hose to home plate to gun out Lindeman, and end the inning. In the bottom half, Ensing retired the first 2 Warrior batters and with reaching his pitch count limit on the 3rd batter, got him to fly to right field which saw Yang dive and make the catch for the final out.  Final score: Mounties 5 Federal Way Warriors 15U 3.  Full props go out to the center fielder who was a major thorn in the Mounties side all game long thwarting many Mountie rallies.  The Mounties dominated the Warriors out hitting them 13-5, and leaving base runners on in every inning, 10 over the course of the game.  Quito and Hogan led the offensive charge with 3 hits each.  Ensing picked up the complete game win giving up 3 runs on 5 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.

Final Game: West Hills Vipers 15U 11 Mounties 1
The final game ended up being a rematch of the first game of the tournament and the Mounties appeared ready for the challenge.  This was the Mounties 3rd game in a row having only another 15 minute break between games, and both teams were tired from a vigorous tournament schedule.  The Mounties for the first time all tournament were shutout in the first inning going down in order.  The Mounties sent Lee to the hill on short rest after going the full pull in pitches on Wednesday and promptly sent West Hills down in order as well and recorded 2 strikeouts in the process.

The Mounties were once again sent down 1-2-3 in the top of the second.  In the bottom of the second, the Vipers got to Lee, who didn't seem to have enough get up and go in his fastball on the short rest to keep the West Hills batters at bay, and gave up a walk and 4 hits in the inning staking West Hills to a 4-0 lead. The Mounties finally registered their 1st hit of the game with 2 outs in the 3rd inning off the bat of the weary Kingsbury who was in the midst of catching his 4th game of the tournament. Unfortunately, that resulted in nothing but another goose egg on the board.

The West Hills team jumped on Lee for another walk and 3 hits before giving way to Kingsbury, who was making his 3rd relief appearance of the weekend.  Kingsbury just didn't have anything left in the tank and after giving up a double and a single, saw his last pitch of the day head over the center field wall.  Kingsbury's day was done after only 9 pitches, and the battered Kingsbury, whose legs were cramping, got handshakes from the umpires who both had had the pleasure of having him behind the dish, a very respectful gesture.  Quito came in with the score 11-0 and on the verge of being mercied after 3 innings (12 after 3, 10 after 4, and 8 after 5) got the next 2 batters out to keep the game going.

The Mounties, a proud bunch, needed 2 runs to keep the game alive loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth, only to hit into a double play scoring Yang. With 2 outs and a runner on third, the last Mountie batter hit it hard to 3rd, but the play was made, and the Mounties run was over.  Full kudos to the West Hills Vipers as they earned the victory.  As for the boys in blue, they battled great odds going into the tournament shorthanded never making excuses.  They never stopped giving it everything they had until the final out, and never committed an error in the final game.  The Mounties coaches are very proud of the boy’s effort, and now they will rest their weary bones and get ready for their next league game.