Murray, Utah – After overwhelming the Northeast Regional champion Connecticut, 10 to 2, on Saturday in the World Series opener, Westchester’s 14U team sustained a reversal yesterday, losing to Jacksonville, the Southeast champion, 18 to 4.
Westchester continues in pool play with games this afternoon against Washington and against Utah on Wednesday.
Three of the five teams in Westchester's pool will advance to the single elimination championship round beginning on Thursday.
Westchester had numerous opportunities to score in yesterday’s Jacksonville game but could not get a key hit when necessary.
Jacksonville struck first with four runs in the top of first inning on just two hits and some aggressive base running.
Westchester came back, loading the bases on walks to LJ Gilliam, Grant Craddolph and Anthony Chavez. Carlos Jacobo knocked in the lone run on a hard grounder to second.
Jacksonville scored three in the top of the third, extending their lead to 7 to 1.
Angel (Gator) de la Torre replaced starting pitcher Matthew Kaplan to start the fourth inning, yielding one run.
Jacksonville connected for two runs in the top of the seventh inning to make the score 10 to 1.
Westchester scored a run in the top of the seventh on singles by Matthew Kanfer and Craddolph and a sacrifice fly by Jacobo.
Saturday was a much happier story.
Westchester jumped out to an early 2 to 0 lead on a Gilliam double, a Kanfer single, r a walk and a hit batsman, and a Jacobo sacrifice fly to center. Southbury scored a single run in the bottom of the first. Westchester added to its lead after Gilliam was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a balk, and then scored again on a Kanfer single.
Westchester broke open the game in the third, scoring four more on singles by Jacobo, Avery Allen, Matthew Kaplan, and a double by Kanfer, making the score 7 to 1.
Westchester wasn't done offensively, scoring three more in the fourth on singles by Allen, Ethan Lazar, Gilliam and a double by Kanfer. Southbury came back for three in the bottom of the fourth inning, knocking out Westchester starter Anthony Chavez. Reggie Castro came in and shut down the rally, preserving Westchester's 10 to 4 lead.
Neither team scored until the seventh when Westchester exploded for eight additional runs, with a booming double by Jacobo and a double to right center by Christian Amador, highlighting the explosion.
Kaplan, the starting first basemen, said later that “Connecticut played well early. We had some hits fall, and then things got rolling. I expect that Connecticut will be a major factor in this tournament.”
Mr. Zeidman may be contacted at scott.zeidman@laslots.com
