Final: Garden City 9, Junior Ducks 4
WP: SoutarSoutar also drove in 4 runs pic.twitter.com/zZWEgwxb4L
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) September 3, 2018
Trailing 4-0 after two innings, Garden City was down but certainly not out.
They mounted a furious comeback that featured nine unanswered runs over the next five innings. Braden Soutar stole the show with a two-run single and two-run triple at the plate, while also firing five innings of scoreless relief to slam the door shut and complete the impressive comeback.
The Junior Ducks got off to a quick start, taking advantage of the wildness of the opposing starting pitcher–drawing six walks in just 1+ inning. They let a golden opportunity to break the game open get passed them, though. With the bases loaded, yesterday’s hero, Kaitlyn Klepper, stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. She drove one to deep right center field. The center fielder made a nice play to catch the ball and also fired a strike to the plate to nail the runner to complete the rally-killing and inning-ending double play.
That was sort of the turning point in the game as Garden City struck back with a run in the second inning on a stolen base by Brian McLeary who came around to score when the throw sailed into the outfield. It seemed innocuous at the time, but wound up being a sign of things to come.
They put together a huge third inning, highlighted by a two-run single by Soutar to cut to lead to 4-3, they tied it up on a wild pitch and took the lead on an RBI ground out by Alex Mercoline.
That was all the support Soutar would need, although they did continue to pile on with a two-run triple by Soutar.
He was in cruise control for the rest of the game, which allowed his team to play confidently behind him and bring home the championship of the East Coast Labor Day Bash.
