PF Flyers 16U team wins first tournament of 2024

The PF Flyers 16U team won the Perfect Game Ohio Valley Showdown in impressive fashion, outscoring their opponents 47-8 in five games.

The Flyers’ offense pounded out nine hits and 12 runs in the championship game, a 12-2 win.

After starting pitcher Rhys Canan retired the side in the top of the first, Brayden Schmittou and Lucas Basta started the bottom of the first with singles. Dane Dudley walked to load the bases. Schmittou scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0. Later in the inning Jim Liebel and Cameron Conn walked to make it 2-0.

That’s where the score stayed until the third inning when the Flyers put a seven-spot on the scoreboard.

Ian Sukup singled with one out. Liebel was hit by a pitch and Conn again walked to load the bases. Camden Tiemeier hit a single to right to make it 4-0. Carson Smith then dropped a squeeze bunt down. He beat it out for a single to make it 5-0. Luke Applegate tripled to straight away center. Schmittou and Basta walked to load the bases before Dudley hit a three-run double to make it 9-0.

After the Flyers gave up two runs, Sukup came in to pitch and induced a bases loaded, line drive double play to Dudley at first base to end the fourth.

Sukup pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, and the Flyers added another three runs for the 12-2 run-rule win.

The tournament began with the Flyers quickly jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first game of pool play.

Schmittou singled with one out. Smith was hit by a pitch. Schmittou scored on a wild pitch and then Tiemeier walked. Dudley walked. Applegate hit a two-run single. Sukup singled and then Applegate stole home on a double steal to make the score 4-0.

Canan, meanwhile, dominated. He went three scoreless innings on 40 pitches, allowing one hit and striking out six.

Thomas Tahat and Basta pitched the final two innings for an 11-0 win.

The Flyers trailed only once in the tournament. In the second game of pool play, the Flyers fell behind 5-3 in the fourth.

They got one run back in the bottom of the fourth when Applegate doubled and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Schmittou.

They re-took the lead in the fifth. Dudley hit an RBI double to score Sukup, who had led off the inning with a walk. Conn singled Dudley home to take the lead. One out later David Kittrell singled to give the Flyers a 7-5 lead.

Hunter Kelly pitched 2 2/3 innings for the win, and Applegate recorded the final two outs for the save.

Tiemeier cruised on the mound in the final pool play game. He threw a seven-inning, complete game, two-hitter on only 68 pitches. He was also 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, en route to an 8-1 win.

Schmittou pitched a five-inning complete game shutout in the semifinal, allowing only two baserunners. Tiemeier and Basta each went 2-for-3 with two RBI in that game, an 8-0 win that sent the Flyers to the championship game.

Dudley was named tournament MVP by Perfect Game. He hit .500 with two doubles, a home run and seven RBI. Perfect Game named Canan Most Valuable Pitcher. He went five shutout innings, earning two wins and striking out eight while allowing only three hits.

The Flyers are now 5-0 and return to action Tuesday at the Midwest Prospect League.