By Staff
CASSOPOLIS - It took nearly three hours to play and there were 39 runs on the board by the end of it, however, Cassopolis' didn't mind at all.
That was because the Cassopolis 9/10 Baseball All-Stars had a victory in the Michigan Little League District 15 Tournament.
The Ranger All-Stars finished with 12 hits led by Garrett Stark who had three.
Cassopolis also got two hits apiece from Vashaun Morgan, Kelvin Curtis, Dwayne Morgan and Rueben Martinez.
Jerimiah Hartsel and J.J. Smith each added a hit.
District 15 All-Stars
The District 15 All-Star team defeated the All-Star team from Three Rivers twice this past week to advance to the Little League state championship tournament which was held in Taylor, July 15-18.
On Tuesday, July 12, District 15 won 5-0 at Constantine High School.
Jason Rietveld of Cassopolis was the winning pitcher. Rietveld worked all seven innings, striking out 10, while allowing just two walks and five hits.
Shane Milliman of Centreville tripled for the All-Stars and Joeby Wisman of Bronson doubled.
Bronson Taylor took the loss for Three Rivers.
On Wednesday, July 13, District 15 again held the Three Rivers team scoreless in a 9-0 thrashing.
The first four innings of the game were played in Three Rivers, when the rains came and forced the umpires to move the remainder of the game back to Constantine were it was not raining.
Zack Miller of Centreville pitched a complete game for the All-Stars, striking out 11, walking three and giving up just five hits.
Andre Broussard of Cassopolis had a single and an RBI for the District 15 All-Stars.
District 15 wound up taking third place this past weekend at the Big league Michigan State tournament.
The team from District 15 (Constantine) opened up the tournament Saturday morning against District 6 (Bellville), winning 13-3.
Jason Rietveld from Cassopolis tossed a no-hitter in the rain, with 10 strikeouts and two walks.
All three runs were unearned.
The second game on Sunday was a tough fought battle against host District 5 (Taylor). District 5 came out on top 5-3.
Zack Taylor from Centreville took the loss.
Andre Broussard from Cass went 2-for-4 and an RBI.
Monday's Game 3 was a rematch of the opening game of the double elimination tournament with opponent District 6.
In one of the most exciting come backs Big League baseball fans' have ever seen, District 15 came away with a 13-12 victory.
After both base coaches from District 15 were ejected for arguing, the District 15 determination took over.
With the score tied at 9-9 at the end of five innings, District 6 took a 11-9 lead. In the seventh, District 6 increased its lead 12-9. In the bottom of the seventh the tide changed for District 15 with two outs
Joeby Wisman from Sturgis singled to left, Rietveld then blasted a two-run homer to make the score 12-11.
District15 then proceeded to load the bases with a single and a walk, before Broussard was hit by a pitch.
The District 6 pitcher walked the next two batters to tie the score. With the bases still juiced, Matt Smoker from Bronson legged out an infield hit by sliding into first as Broussard scampered home with the winning run.
The fourth game on Monday afternoon didn't have the same magic as the day before, as a rematch with game two opponent saw District 5 moving on to the championship game in a 8-3 victory.
District15 lead the whole way with Jake McDonald from Dowagiac smacking a two-run homer in the 3rd to give D15 the lead at 3-2, but the seventh inning was different this time around.
District 5 took a commanding 8-3 lead, and District 15 could not muster another comeback.
District 5 took on District 8 (Harper Woods) for the state championship.
Dowagiac Roundhouse
Round Robin Tournament
Play began on Tuesday in the 2005 Dowagiac Little League Roundhouse Round Robin Tournament.
Play was originally scheduled to begin on Monday, however, rain forced the tournament to be moved back one day.
Monday's scheduled goals in the 7/8-year-old Division will be moved to Friday or Saturday.
Cassopolis was scheduled to play South Portage 1 on Monday.
The Cassopolis All-Stars are also scheduled to play Millwood on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and Howard 7U on Monday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m.
The elimination portion of the tournament will be played on Saturday, July 30 with the finals scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 2.