Brandywine coach Steve Hurt congratulates Shevin Yazel after scoring to tie the game 3-3. (Daily Star photo/AMELIO RODRIGUEZ)

By AMELIO RODRIGUEZ and DON EDEN

Niles Daily Star

In the Cal Ripken Ohio Valley Regional on Sunday afternoon, host Brandywine lost to the Southern Illinois state champion from Geneseo by the count of 13-3 in four innings.

In a game that was originally scheduled for Saturday night but was pushed back because of the storms that rolled through the area on Friday evening and Saturday morning, the host team came out flat and played that way much of the game.

The visitors from Geneseo jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the team from Brandywine bounced back to plate one of their own, cutting the lead in half, 2-1.

Geneseo would add another run in the top of the second to push the lead to 3-1, but Brandywine’s Brady Duval, who started on the mound, would help his own cause in the bottom of the inning with a two-run single to right field to tie the game at 3-3.

That single seamed to spark the host team, but unfortunately, the spark fizzled out fairly quickly.

Geneseo would load the bases with nobody out in the top of the third inning, before Brandywine first baseman Vinnie Peel would field a line drive and touch first for the double play, momentarily ending the momentum that Geneseo was building.

The visitors would end up loading the bases again, and four more runners would cross the plate before the inning would end, giving Geneseo a 7-3 advantage heading to the bottom of the third inning.

Brandywine would bat in the bottom of the third and they found themselves in a pretty good situation. They also would load the bases with nobody out, but unlike their counterparts from Southern Illinois, they were unable to plate any runners.

With bases loaded and nobody out Brandywine batter Scott Miller would strike out, followed by Michael Kachur hitting into an inning-ending double play.

So after three innings the hosts still trailed 7-3.

The fourth inning was more of the same as the visitors would plate and additional runs giving them a 10-run advantage heading to the bottom of the inning, 13-3.

Needing one run to continue playing and avoid the 10-run rule, Brandywine’s Max Douglas would lead off the inning with a single and then stole second putting himself in scoring position. The next batter, Peel would hit a ball to center field that would be caught and thrown back in to second to get Douglas out, who had wandered too far from the base.

Brandywine’s Shevin Yazel would then get a single to right keeping the host teams hopes alive, but Duval would ground out to first to end the game.

Brandywine falls to 1-1 in pool play, and will play Southeastern Lexington this morning at 10.

Niles’ other team Howard Township will play at 8 a.m. against Western Kentucky.

Brandywine…8

Whiteland…3

Closing the opening round on Saturday in the Ohio Valley Regional were the home field 11-year old All-Stars from Brandywine who faced Whiteland, Ind. which is located just south of Indianapolis and claimed victory by a 8-3 score.

The visitors had not finished lower than second in any tournament this year and were surprised how Brandywine hit ace pitcher Anthony Schantz with a dozen base knocks.

Brandywine scored three runs apiece in the first two innings with a quartet of hits in each and then followed with a run in the third and fourth inning on a couple of safeties in both stanzas.

Winning pitcher Toby Fox struck out five in his complete game mound performance and added three singles at the plate.  Knocking in a pair of runners along with the hurler was battery mate Jacob Ruelle with a pair of singles.

Shevin Yazel had the only extra base hit with a double and also added a single for the victors.

Mitchell Ashbrook was responsible for all the runners scoring for Whiteland with a pair of singles with Schantz also having two safeties.

Saturday’s games

The 11-year old All-Stars from Howard Township faced a couple formidable foes Saturday in the Ohio Valley Regional held at Firemen’s Park.

Schereville, Ind. won the first game after scoring four runs in the fifth inning for a comeback 5-3 victory before a Chicago suburb group from Homewood, Ill. won 3-2 with all the winning tallies being in the second stanza.

Schererville…5

Howard Township…3

Howard Township scored a trio of runs in the third inning with a quartet of singles by Dawson Clemens, Noah Frantz, Cody Glick and Bryce Lake accounting for the rally in the opener.

A double by Schereville’s Parker Bryant was the big hit in the victors vital inning with a couple of walks and a single by Ben Nisle adding up for the victory.

Pitcher Alex Harpenau matched Bryant’s two-bagger at the plate with Jacob Hamm getting the only other base hit for Howard against Schererville.

Jordan Lykowski was the winning hurler with singles being hit by Jarrett Lopez, Devin Moseley, Bo Hofstra and Bryant.

Homewood…3

Howard Township…2

Howard’s Harpenau smacked a double for a run in the first inning for another early lead as Homewood collected three of their four hits off Lake in the third inning for the hard-earned victory.

Collecting the singles in the second stanza for the victors were winning pitcher Jack Doyle, Carter Schultz and Nicholas McAlister.

The inning would have been worse if it weren’t for a gem of a defensive play by third baseman Jared Purucker who fielded a bouncing ball to his knees with the bases loaded and nobody out to gun down the runner trying to score.

Doyle and Augie Schlaffer each pitched three innings for a combined nine-strikeout performance with four and five respectively.

Frantz collected a single and double in the defeat with Lake adding a single for the team by  Barron Lake.