10U Tagge Rutherford Elks (NE) vs Southlake Dragons (TX)

by Jim Fream

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Matt Werner kept the Southlake, Texas, Dragons’ hopes of a championship alive as he delivered a game-winning single in the bottom of the sixth inning in the elimination round in the under-10 Division of the USSSA World Series at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports on Wednesday, 5-4.
    With the game tied at four, Nik Millsap lined a leadoff double that one-hopped the fence in left field. Millsap then stole third against TR Fighting Elks reliever Mick Williams. Cole Johnson and Marcus Hill drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Tristan Williams than laid down a squeeze bunt, but Mick Williams fielded the ball and threw out Millsap at the plate. With the infield drawn in, Nicco Cole rolled a grounder to Evan Wilkinson at third who threw Johnson out at the plate. Werner than blooped a single to right to plate Hill with the game-winning run.
    “I was already nervous (before the sixth inning),” said Dragons manager Kenny Hill. “These guys are 10-year-olds. They made some mistakes early, but they persevered and came back to win the game. We live to battle another day.”
    The Dragons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Jake Murphy rapped a one-out single and scored on Hunter Huchens’ RBI hit to right.
    The Fighting Elk took a 2-1 lead in the second off southpaw Adam Stephenson. Wilkinson and Blake Fields drilled successive RBI base knocks.
    The Dragons tied the game at 2 on Cole’s base hit to center.
    The Fighting Elk took a 3-2 lead as J.D. Daro reached on a two-out hit. After stealing second and third, Daro came home on a passed ball.
    Both teams scored single runs in the fifth setting up Werner’s heroics in the sixth.