M-A Little League report M-A Little League report (May 19, 2004)

M-A Little League staff

In a week that saw mixed performances from the other persistent leaders, the Brix juggernaut began to gather momentum with a big three-victory run. Though Draeger's continued to cling to first, just ahead of Lutticken's, Brix ended only a fraction behind them both, with a bullet. Importantly, Draeger's maintained its one-game lead in the loss column.

Strong pitching was the story Monday, May 10, at Willow Field as Brix's Tomas O'Donnell, Hunter Shaw and Ryan McGill combined to squeeze a 4-3 victory from Draeger's. They were ably supported by Phillip Anderson's seven putouts in a well-played defensive game.

Charlie Bradford retired the side himself with three putouts from short in the third inning as Goetz powered past Andersons 10-3 on Tuesday. Hogan Bradford, Jeff Keller and Max Culhane swung big sticks for the winners.

It was Cashin Company's turn to face the Brix buzz saw on Wednesday, and though they made a game of it, Brix again came out on top, 10-9. Wally Hansen started two bases-loaded double plays for Cashin to keep them in the game, but in the end it was Brix's Will McConnell who settled the matter for good. With two-out and a man on in the sixth, he blasted one over the Blue Monster in left for the game winning runs.

Goetz Bros. finished the week with two tough losses, falling to Draeger's Thursday, 8-4, and then to red-hot Brix in Saturday's opener 8-2. Alex Stephenson picked up three of Goetz's four RBIs against Draeger's, and Reid Gaa slashed a wicked double, but it wasn't enough. Charlie Bradford had two hits for Goetz against Brix.

Nick Henze's single and Danny O'Neel's big double keyed a three-run second inning for Lutticken's but they couldn't hold on as Cashin's clutch hitting propelled them to a 9-4 win. Austin Hume and Rooney Pitchford had timely RBI knocks; Wally Hansen stole the show defensively with a diving, snow cone grab in centerfield.

Alex Neylan's solo home run in the first started the ball rolling against Cashin on Saturday, and it didn't stop until a 16-7 spanking had been administered. Guido Franke swatted a long ground-rule double for Draegers. Brett Hightower and Turner Baty both ripped RBI two-baggers for Cashin.

In the final game of the week, Anderson's snuck by Lutticken's when Tomas Neou-Curiel's RBI double put them ahead 6-5 in the top of the sixth. Will DeWitt made a great catch on a ball almost out of play to help preserve the victory in the bottom of the inning.

David Hansen, for the M-A Little League, with assistance from sixth-grader Cameron Rowland.

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