The 12s came into Sunday's tournament playoffs on a roll, but they could see on the tournament board that there was, in the other bracket, another gorilla in the jungle. That was the Freeport team, which had been steamrolling everyone in their path.
First up for Greenfield, though, was Penn Hills.
Brandon Twigg pitched three solid innings, holding Penn Hills to one run, while the Greenfield bats churned out enough base hits to pile up the runs. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Greenfield bats added the last couple of runs to stop the game early by 10-run-rule.
The championship game against Freeport got started an hour later, and the first three innings looked bleak for the boys from Greenfield.
In the first three innings, the Greenfield hitters were popping out, grounding out, or striking out. Three batters up, and three down...for three innings. On the other side of those innings, Freeport was putting the ball in play just outside the reach of Greenfield gloves, including one home run, a couple of shots to right center field, and several hard hits that rode the chalk down the left field line.
By the beginning of the fourth inning, the score was Freeport 7, Greenfield 0, and it was time for Greenfield's tenth batter, Isaac Koerber, to get up to the plate for the first time.
With two strikes on him, Koerber found a seam in the Freeport defense with a sizzling grounder for Greenfield's first base hit of the game. He stole second, then was moved to third by Jordan Osborne's ground-out. He then stole home, dancing his way around the Freeport player with the ball.
That got the Greenfield crowd into the game. Then, on a 2-2 count, Samson Hill blasted a solo home run into the creek behind the center field fence and danced around the diamond.
In the first three innings, Matthew Mock struck out several batters and got several to hit weak grounders, some of which he fielded himself. Bryan McCann came in for the fourth and fifth innings to deny Freeport any additional runs.
In the top of the fifth, the Greenfield rally continued in a big way. Brandon Twigg started off with a solo home run to cut Freeport's lead to 7-3. An unbroken string of hits followed, as everyone in the line up got up to the plate that inning. This string included a shot by Luther Harper down the right field line that hit the fence only a few inches short of a home run. When the dust settled, Greenfield was on top 11-7.
Greenfield added another run in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Brady Sulinski caught an infield pop up for the first out, then closer Samson Hill struck out the last two batters to complete the win.
Coach Jim Gregg told the boys that this was one of the most impressive comebacks he has seen in tournament play. Thanks go out to all the parents and fans who spurred on the rally with their encouragement, and congratulations to the Greenfield 12s, Riverside Tournament Champions!
First up for Greenfield, though, was Penn Hills.
Brandon Twigg pitched three solid innings, holding Penn Hills to one run, while the Greenfield bats churned out enough base hits to pile up the runs. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Greenfield bats added the last couple of runs to stop the game early by 10-run-rule.
The championship game against Freeport got started an hour later, and the first three innings looked bleak for the boys from Greenfield.
In the first three innings, the Greenfield hitters were popping out, grounding out, or striking out. Three batters up, and three down...for three innings. On the other side of those innings, Freeport was putting the ball in play just outside the reach of Greenfield gloves, including one home run, a couple of shots to right center field, and several hard hits that rode the chalk down the left field line.
By the beginning of the fourth inning, the score was Freeport 7, Greenfield 0, and it was time for Greenfield's tenth batter, Isaac Koerber, to get up to the plate for the first time.
With two strikes on him, Koerber found a seam in the Freeport defense with a sizzling grounder for Greenfield's first base hit of the game. He stole second, then was moved to third by Jordan Osborne's ground-out. He then stole home, dancing his way around the Freeport player with the ball.
That got the Greenfield crowd into the game. Then, on a 2-2 count, Samson Hill blasted a solo home run into the creek behind the center field fence and danced around the diamond.
In the first three innings, Matthew Mock struck out several batters and got several to hit weak grounders, some of which he fielded himself. Bryan McCann came in for the fourth and fifth innings to deny Freeport any additional runs.
In the top of the fifth, the Greenfield rally continued in a big way. Brandon Twigg started off with a solo home run to cut Freeport's lead to 7-3. An unbroken string of hits followed, as everyone in the line up got up to the plate that inning. This string included a shot by Luther Harper down the right field line that hit the fence only a few inches short of a home run. When the dust settled, Greenfield was on top 11-7.
Greenfield added another run in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Brady Sulinski caught an infield pop up for the first out, then closer Samson Hill struck out the last two batters to complete the win.
Coach Jim Gregg told the boys that this was one of the most impressive comebacks he has seen in tournament play. Thanks go out to all the parents and fans who spurred on the rally with their encouragement, and congratulations to the Greenfield 12s, Riverside Tournament Champions!
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