PF Flyers 15U wins PBR Ohio Summer Championship in battle of top two teams in Ohio
The PF Flyers 15U won a thrilling, extra-inning championship game that pitted the two top ranked teams in Ohio against each other to capture the PBR Ohio Summer Championship.
The championship game featured Bo Jackson Elite Black, the No. 2 ranked team in Ohio, vs. the top ranked Flyers. The Flyers outlasted Bo Jackson 7-5 in nine innings.
After a scoreless first inning, Camden Tiemeier started the top of the second with a single for the Flyers. Carson Smith followed that with a double and then Donovan Corbett lined a two-run single to put the Flyers up 2-0.
Bo Jackson started the third with three straight hits to score a run, but Corbett cut down a runner looking to go first to third and one out later, Smith picked a runner off third to end the inning and keep the score 2-1.
Bo Jackson tied the game in the fourth inning at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly.
But the Flyers regained the lead in the top of the fifth when Brayden Schmittou scored on an error after Luke Applegate hit a hard ground ball to shortstop.
Bo Jackson led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to tie the game at 3-3. The next hitter singled off starting pitcher Rhys Canan. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second. One out later Bo Jackson hit a line drive single to center that put Bo Jackson ahead 4-3. After a walk, Xander Ervick came in and recorded a fly out to end the inning.
Schmittou started the Flyers’ responding rally in the sixth with a two-out walk. Lucas Basta then hit a game-tying double. Ervick put the Flyers up on the next pitch with an RBI single.
Ervick pitched a scoreless sixth, and the Flyers didn’t score in the top of the seventh.
Headed into the bottom of the seventh, the Flyers held a 5-4 lead.
But Bo Jackson started the inning with a leadoff double. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third. And then a line drive single tied the game. Ervick induced a double play to end the inning and send the game to extra innings.
The extra innings rules put a runner on second with one out for both teams and each hitter started with a 1-1 count, but neither team scored in the eighth.
In the top of the ninth, the Flyers scored two runs on errors to take a 7-5 lead.
Ervick got the first batter out in the bottom of the ninth to inch the Flyers to one out away from victory. But the next two batters walked, loading the bases. The final hitter lined out to Ervick to end the game and give the Flyers the tournament championship.
Ervick was 2-for-2 in the game with 2 RBI and pitched 3 2/3 innings allowing two hits and one run.
Canan pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs.
In pool play and the Sunday semifinal game, the Flyers went 4-0, allowing only four runs and outscoring their opponents 22-4.
That included a no-hitter on Saturday in pool play. Luke Applegate and Carson Smith combined for a five inning no-hitter in a 9-0 win. The pair struck out seven.
Ian Sukup hit .500 in the tournament with two doubles. Ervick hit .333 with a triple and 3 RBI. Applegate hit .312 with a home run and 6 RBI.
On the mound, Ervick pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out five. Canan pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out six. Schmittou pitched five scoreless innings.
The Flyers are now 19-1 and have won all three tournaments they have played in. They return to action on Thursday in the Best of Ohio Tournament of the Stars Wood Bat World Series.
