OCALA, FLA. – While the welcome mat was laid out for the Westfield Babe Ruth Baseball 14-Year-Olds during World Series opening ceremonies, the Whip City All-Stars had the rug pulled out from beneath them in their first game.
The defending World Series runners-up of a year ago, Lawrenceburg, exploded for 11 runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 13-1, mercy-shortened victory Friday night in Ocala, Florida.
Lawrenceburg (Tenn.) started fast, jumping out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Lead-off batter Jacob Hallmark and Sam Crane hit consecutive singles. A fielder’s choice made it 1-0. After a walk, Kendall Franklin belted a line drive double to right field for a 3-0 advantage. Baily Burleson hit an RBI single. After a fifth run scored, a sac-fly made it 6-0.
Westfield bounced back.
In the top of the second, Jack Yvon drove a two-bagger to left field. Tyler Delgado walked. A fielder’s choice resulted in Westfield’s first run.
Lawrenceburg would not go away.
In the third, the Southeastern champs tacked on five runs. Ben Staggs walked and stole second base to begin the inning. Bradley Huckaba reached on an error, and Lance Pope hit a two-run line drive single to center field with no outs. Hallmark hit a one-out single, and stole second. A run-scoring error, followed by an RBI single from Weathers and an RBI double from Laws made it 11-1.
Consecutive bases-loaded singles from Bailey and Hallmark in the fifth inning gave Lawrenceburg a commanding 13-1 lead.
A scoreless inning from Westfield in the top of the fifth resulted in a mercy-ruling stoppage.
Westfield will look to rebound when it takes on Pacific Southwest champ Aiea, Hawaii Saturday.
