July 18, 2017

Hitting second-to-last in the batting order, Ethan Sandus broke a late tie Monday night. His grounder to the left side of the infield brought home the go-ahead run in the fifth inning before Simmons Tire broke open a tight Park Department Little League Tournament final in the last inning of a 9-2 win over Strike Zone at McLane Park...

Hitting second-to-last in the batting order, Ethan Sandus broke a late tie Monday night.

His grounder to the left side of the infield brought home the go-ahead run in the fifth inning before Simmons Tire broke open a tight Park Department Little League Tournament final in the last inning of a 9-2 win over Strike Zone at McLane Park.

"The last couple of games we've been able to do that," Simmons Tire coach Stacey Harlow said of getting hits throughout the lineup. "We've struggled with that up until the end, but perfect timing, in time for the tournament."

Strike Zone won the regular-season title with a 5-4 win over Simmons Tire in the previous meeting but trailed 2-0 in the fourth Monday.

Lead-off hitter Carter Williams laced a triple past a diving first baseman and down the line to open the bottom of the fourth. Jackson Beis followed with a single and later tied it on a two-out hit by Mason Murphy Foster.

The potential go-ahead run had rounded third and headed for home when Simmons Tire was able to end the inning on a rundown.

"We had to grab the momentum back, we really did," Harlow said. "It was important that those kids at the bottom of the lineup were able to do that for us."

Sebastien Kaup was hit by a pitch and Christopher Wiggs drew a one-out walk to start the rally in the fifth. Sandus hit a grounder to the shortstop past a diving pitcher and Kaup, who got a late start at third base towards home, scored when the throw missed the catcher.

Ty Harlow, who had two hits in the leadoff spot, had a two-out single to load the bases before Noah Spain's hard-hit grounder put Simmons Tire up 4-2.

Beis, who struck out 11, ran out of pitches but Strike Zone ended the inning tagging a runner between third and the plate trying to steal on a wild pitch.

Simmons Tire pitcher Cameron Settle also reached his pitch limit in the fifth inning. He also struck out 11 and didn't allow a hit until the fourth, walking two and allowing two hits in five innings.

Spain retired three straight in the sixth to end it.

"Noah did a good job there in the bottom of the sixth," Coach Harlow said. "Cameron, we go off him."

Settle scored the first run of the game after a triple to start the second inning when he plugged the left-field gap.

In the fourth, Harlow led off with a single and later came around to score for a 2-0 lead.

Simmons Tire put together a five-run sixth when the first seven hitters -- Chris De Los Reyes, Settle, Nolan White, Joshua Cluck, Kaup, Wiggs and Sandus -- reached base on walks or getting hit by a pitch.

"Those kids throughout the lineup, everybody's improved," Coach Harlow said. "We've enjoyed it, we had a lot of fun."

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