Dallas Stars rally past East Texas Cats, force deciding game for national crown

By Devin Hasson

McKinney, Texas— If the Dallas Stars were to achieve their goal of a national championship, they knew they had to take it one step at a time. The Stars entered Friday’s action needing to defeat the East Texas Cats twice so it was no surprise they pulled out all the stops to force a decisive game. Just one day after being run-ruled by the Cats, Dallas evened the score and forced one final game for the national title with a 10-7 victory on Friday at the 2009 13U Super Series Super 16 World Series at The Ballfields at Craig Ranch in McKinney.

In a game that lasted nearly three hours, the Stars scored six runs in the late innings and Nate Banks came on to slam the door in relief to extend their tournament stay. Trailing 6-4 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning, Dallas used some aggressive base running and timely hitting to take control. With one out in the fifth, Justin Bundy reached on an error and then stole second. Mitchell Williams followed by lining a RBI double to left to close to within 6-5. The Cats got the second out of the inning but could not preserve their lead, as Banks reached on an infield hit that scored Williams to tie the game. Banks then stole second, moved to third when the throw from the catcher got away and scored on a base hit by Nick Lutzel to give Dallas a 7-6 lead.

The Stars went back to work in the bottom of the sixth, as Marshall Herron singled, Chandler Ladd walked and they each stole bases to move into scoring position. Mason Jordan drove in a run on a ground out and Drew Coslin followed with some hefty insurance when he belted a shot over the left-field fence for a two-run home run that made it 10-6. Banks, who had earned the save in the finale on Thursday that clinched the Stars’ place in the title game, did the job again in relief on Friday. He retired the side in order in the sixth inning and then allowed just one run in slamming the door in the seventh to earn his second save in as many games.

It was a far cry from the teams’ first meeting, when the Cats handed Dallas a 12-0 run-rule loss. East Texas, which needed just one win to earn the national championship entering the day, spotted the Stars a 2-0 lead but seemed to establish control from there. In the top of the second, Kasey Leatherwood and Carson Hicks led off with consecutive singles and Larry Pryor walked to load the bases. Alex Burney then reached on an infield single and when the ball got away at first, two runs scored. Pryor gave East Texas the lead when he was awarded home after a balk to make it 3-2. The Cats pushed the lead to 5-2 in the top of the third, as Leatherwod’s sacrifice fly scored Willie Ivery. Hicks singled, pinch-runner Jessie Valdez stole second and scored on a base hit by Pat Covington.

Dallas stayed within striking distance, pushing across two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. Williams walked, Daniel Ferra singled and one run scored on a dropped fly ball. Ferra would later dash home on a wild pitch to close to within 5-4. East Texas pushed the lead back to 6-4 in the fourth when Bryce Carty singled and came around to score after a pair of errors. The Cats were nine outs away from the title, but that proved to be too many, as the Stars came roaring back to force one more game.

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