Despite a comeback in the sixth inning to make it a one-run ballgame, top-seeded Rent One was able to hold on to the lead and put together a late rally of its own in the Park Department Babe Ruth League Tournament championship on Tuesday.
Rent One beat Starting USA 18-8 at McLane Park.
“I’m super proud of these guys,” Rent One coach Joe Tubb said. “They’ve played hard all season long.”
Kyle Tubb was given the starting nod on the mound and he did not disappoint with 12 strikeouts in five innings while only giving up one earned run.
“He did a great job,” Coach Tubb said. “He was up 9-1 and just reached his pitch limit so we had to take him out after the fifth. We were so close to ending it early with the 10-run rule there and everybody knows we’ve been riding Kyle’s back all year long.
“We almost don’t know what to do when he’s not pitching.”
Another player that shined and ended up getting the game ball was Colby Sullivan as he was a home run shy of the cycle, going 4-for-4 with two triples and a double along with three RBIs and four runs scored.
“Couldn’t ask for a better game from him,” Coach Tubb said. “He also had a nice snag at first and turned a good double play in the field for us.”
Rent One got off to a quick 2-0 lead in the first with Sullivan roping an RBI triple and scored on a single by Landon Lunsford.
Starting USA responded in the second with Luke Seagraves hitting a lead-off single and after stealing second and advancing to third on a passed ball, he came home on a single by Keaton Vincent.
That’s all Kyle Tubb allowed.
Rent One added one run in the second and three in the third to go up 6-1. In the fifth, Rent One scored three more runs to lead 9-1, but a pop out to the pitcher cut the rally short as Starting USA avoided an early end.
With Tubb off the mound in the sixth, Starting USA put seven runs on the board with all of the runs scoring before the first out was even recorded, capped off with a three-run double by Vincent. He advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and after two walks to load the bases and a pitching change to Wyatt Lindsey, the next two batters struck out swinging to finally end the top of the sixth as Rent One narrowly escaped with a 9-8 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, it was Rent One’s turn to put together a rally as all but two hitters found a way to get on base.
Rent One kept the train moving to push across six runs before Lady stepped up to the plate for the second time in the inning. With the bases loaded and Rent One up 15-8, he was able to bounce back from his earlier groundout with a triple that cleared the bases and ended the ballgame.
“The futures for these kids are bright,” Coach Tubb said. “The guys that are 15 and just played their last season will have good high school careers and the guys that are coming back are ready to win it all again next year.”