11U Elite 24 Results: Mudhens mount the comeback of the YEAR!

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11U Elite 24 Results: Mudhens mount the comeback of the YEAR!

August 7, 2008 Disney Wide World of Sports arena, Kissimmee, Florida USSSA Elite 24 World Series 11U

Macomb Mudhens 11 Florida Fire 10

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The 11U Mudhens of Macomb, Michigan made one the most dramatic comebacks, in USSSA Elite 24 World Series history, here today as they found a way to come back from a 10-0 deficit going into the bottom of the 5th inning. The Mudhens were playing the Florida Fire, a team that had beaten them 8 to 5 earlier today.Coach Tony Leonard said, “I knew that this Florida Fire team was one of the best hitting teams we had faced all year, and they proved it today. We had our work cut out for us”.

In the second game, neither team had scored until the Florida Fire scored two runs in the top of the 4th inning when Chris Whidden hit a 2 Run homer to put the Fire on top 2-0. In the bottom of the inning, the Mudhens managed to get runners on 2nd and 3rd, but the Florida Pitchers and the Fire defense shut down the Mudhen hopes of rallying. Then, the Fire offense came to bat and exploded with 8 runs building a 10-0 lead. This explosive offense was driven by the hitting from Kyle Cross, Bradley Nenna, Ryan OLenek, and Breden Rodgers.

At this point, the Fire was 3-outs away from advancing to the quarter finals. But the Mudhens answered with 6 runs in the bottom of the 5th to force the game to go the full distance. In the top of the 6th, the Mudhen defense held the Fire to just one run as they came to bat in the bottom of the 6th and final inning down by 5 runs. What happened then was a sight that is rarely seen. The Mudhen batters went to work in the clutch starting with singles from Nick Plummer, then Kyle Randick (Hit by Pitch), then a double by Andrew Manduzzi, then doubles by Andrew Papadelis and Riley Miller. This string of hits was capped by a game ending single by Peter Zeimis with the bases loaded – thus putting the Mudhens up 11-10.

Coach Leonard said after the game, “What I am most proud of is that we played our entire Roster, and every athlete made huge contributions to this win – proving why this is a 9 player team sport”.

While one team advances and one team must now go home, all the players involved in this game will take away something very positive. For the Mudhens, they will know firsthand what can happen when you keep trying.

For the very fine young athletes of the Florida Fire, they will know that a game can slip away in the most unlikely times. No doubt, later in their athletic lives, this lesson will be the reason why they will see more championships to come.

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