North Gibson finishes 2nd
OUT AT FIRST BASE – NG All-Star third baseman Ethan Hutchison fields a bunt attempt and throws out a base runner to end the inning. (Photo by Lori Cathey)
North Gibson All-Stars defeated Huntingdon, McKenzie, and Bradford but fell to Milan in championship game to become the 2017 Cal Ripken 11-12-Year-Old Little League State Runners-Up in Dresden.
NG All-Stars started the tournament off by scoring two runs in the first inning against McKenzie to take a 2 to 0 lead. McKenzie scored a run in the top of the second inning to make it 2 to 1 NG All-Stars. Neither team was able to score in the third or fourth innings with NG All-Stars holding on to a 2 to 1 lead. In the fifth NG All-Stars scored a run and McKenzie scored three runs to take a 4 to 3 lead. McKenzie scored three more runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 7 to 3 lead. NG All-Stars were only able to scored two runs for a 7 to 5 loss to McKenzie.
In the second round NG All-Stars defeated Huntingdon 13 to 4. Huntingdon took a 1 to 0 lead in the first inning. NG All-Stars jumped out to an 8 to 2 lead in the second inning. NG All-Stars scored two runs in the third and one run in the fourth to extend their lead to 11 to 2. Huntingdon scored two runs in the fifth inning to make it 11 to 4. NG All-Stars added two more runs in the sixth for a 13 to 4 win over Huntingdon. NG All-Star pitcher Collin Skelton was the winning pitcher with six strikeouts and gave up only one walk. All-Stars scoring runs were Matthew Reynolds, Peyton Selph, Cole Lannom, Bryce Simpson, Aiden Webb, Hunter Durham, Collin Skelton, Carter Ewell, and Ethan Turner.
Next NG All-Stars won 7 to 4 over McKenzie, facing them for the second time in the tournament, to advance to the semi-final game. NG All-Stars and McKenzie both scored two runs in the first inning to make it 2 all. Neither teams scored in the second or third inning. In the top of the fourth inning Collin Skelton hit a two run home run with one out to give NC All-Stars a 4 to 2 lead. But Bradford came right back and scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, tying the game at 4 all. NG All-Stars scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 7 to 4 lead. McKenzie was unable to score in the bottom of the inning for a 7 to 4 NG All-Stars win. NG All-Stars pitcher Matthew Reynolds was the winning pitcher with nine strikeouts with only two walks.
In the semi-final game NG All-Stars jumped out to early lead by scoring two runs off a homerun by Bryce Simpson in the first inning. NG All-Stars added five more runs in the second inning with Carter Ewell, Cayden Bane, Hunter Holder, Matthew Reynolds and Bryce Simpson all scoring to give NG All-Stars a 7 to 0 lead. Neither team was able to score in the third inning. Bradford scored a run in the fourth to make it 7 to 1. In the bottom of the sixth, Bradford scored four runs but NG All-Stars held on for a 7 to 5 win. NG All-Stars pitchers Hunter Holder and Bryce Simpson combined for the win.
In the championship game the NG All-Stars had no luck at all with Milan scoring four runs in the first inning and adding five runs in the second inning to take a 9 to 0 lead. In the top of the third inning Ethan Hutchison hit a two run home run to make it 9 to 2. Milan scored three runs in the bottom of the inning for a 12 to 2 final to end the 2017 baseball season.
