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Whenever a Blue Springs Post 499/Fike starting pitcher hands the ball over to closer Sam Morman, the fat lady can start warming up her voice, because that means the game is usually over.
That was the case Monday afternoon at Hidden Valley Park where starter Jordan Oddo went seven-plus innings and Morman came on with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth to pitch out of a jam and secure a 3-1 victory over Blue Springs Rod’s Sports Athletics.
The win gave Fike the Zone 2 East District championship as manager Jim Moran’s squad finished with a 3-0 record. With the win, Fike earns a bye in the Zone 2 Tournament that starts Thursday in Sedalia and will not have to play until 1 p.m. Saturday against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The A’s will play Hi-Boy Drive-In/Post 340 at 5 p.m. Friday.
“What about Sam Morman?” Fike coach Jim Moran asked rhetorically after the lanky reliever picked up his third tournament save in a row. “He just saved his ninth game of the season, and that ties Jeff Mittie’s record of nine, which he set in 1984. When Sam comes in, you feel good – it doesn’t stop the butterflies from flying around in my stomach, but you feel like he’s going to get the job done every time he comes in to pitch.”
Oddo was in command for seven innings (American Legion games go seven innings until postseason, when they are extended to nine innings).
The right-hander from Grain Valley threw just 82 pitches, and allowed his defense to make some plays behind him.
“I didn’t know how far I could go as hot as it was,” said Oddo, who threw 22 2/3 innings of relief Sunday in a 4-3 winners’ bracket final victory over the rival A’s. “But I know I have seven good fielders behind me, and I let them get some work in today.
“Then you give the ball to Sam and know he’s going to get it done. He’s been doing it all season. And he got it done today.”
The A’s Alex Duvall led off the top of the eighth with a single, Wylson Lamb reached on an error and Brian Burasco singled to load the bases.
Moran trotted out to the mound, called Morman in from left field and gave him the ball.
“I really like those situations where the game is on the line,” said Morman, the son of former major league player Russ Morman, a William Chrisman High School graduate. “I have confidence in myself and I know the guys have confidence in me, too.”
Whenever a Blue Springs Post 499/Fike starting pitcher hands the ball over to closer Sam Morman, the fat lady can start warming up her voice, because that means the game is usually over.
That was the case Monday afternoon at Hidden Valley Park where starter Jordan Oddo went seven-plus innings and Morman came on with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth to pitch out of a jam and secure a 3-1 victory over Blue Springs Rod’s Sports Athletics.
The win gave Fike the Zone 2 East District championship as manager Jim Moran’s squad finished with a 3-0 record. With the win, Fike earns a bye in the Zone 2 Tournament that starts Thursday in Sedalia and will not have to play until 1 p.m. Saturday against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The A’s will play Hi-Boy Drive-In/Post 340 at 5 p.m. Friday.
“What about Sam Morman?” Fike coach Jim Moran asked rhetorically after the lanky reliever picked up his third tournament save in a row. “He just saved his ninth game of the season, and that ties Jeff Mittie’s record of nine, which he set in 1984. When Sam comes in, you feel good – it doesn’t stop the butterflies from flying around in my stomach, but you feel like he’s going to get the job done every time he comes in to pitch.”
Oddo was in command for seven innings (American Legion games go seven innings until postseason, when they are extended to nine innings).
The right-hander from Grain Valley threw just 82 pitches, and allowed his defense to make some plays behind him.
“I didn’t know how far I could go as hot as it was,” said Oddo, who threw 22 2/3 innings of relief Sunday in a 4-3 winners’ bracket final victory over the rival A’s. “But I know I have seven good fielders behind me, and I let them get some work in today.
“Then you give the ball to Sam and know he’s going to get it done. He’s been doing it all season. And he got it done today.”
The A’s Alex Duvall led off the top of the eighth with a single, Wylson Lamb reached on an error and Brian Burasco singled to load the bases.
Moran trotted out to the mound, called Morman in from left field and gave him the ball.
“I really like those situations where the game is on the line,” said Morman, the son of former major league player Russ Morman, a William Chrisman High School graduate. “I have confidence in myself and I know the guys have confidence in me, too.”
David Stober hit a towering fly ball to right field to drive in one run, but Morman retired the next two batters to secure the lead and the win for Oddo.
Morman also starred at the plate, driving in the two winning runs in the bottom of the fifth inning off A’s starter Jay Corwin. Ruben Paniagua reached on a throwing error by Corwin and Jared Ginter walked. They were sacrificed over by Stephen Montisano and scored on Morman’s two-run single.
Fike, which improved to 33-13, scored its first run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Brett Valentine doubled and scored on Dylan Farrell’s RBI single.
“We got some timely hitting, and I can’t say enough good things about Jordan Oddo,” Moran said. “The kid did a great job on the mound. That’s a team that hits the heck out of the ball, and he holds them scoreless for seven innings.
“Then, when he gets into some trouble in the eighth, we call in Sam.”
While both the A’s and Fike were guaranteed a spot in the Zone 2 Tournament this weekend in Sedalia, both coaches talked about the significance of this tournament championship.
“When you get the bye, you save your pitching, and that’s huge,” Moran said. “We aren’t as deep pitching-wise as some teams are, so we really wanted to get this win today and get that bye.”
A’s manager Mike Rooney was disappointed with the outcome and his team’s performance – though his team would have had to beat Fike again for the title if it had won this one in the double-elimination tournament.
“I didn’t see any enthusiasm out there today,” Rooney said after the A’s fell to 35-16. “We were flat, and how on earth do you come out flat in a game like this? The bye is huge, and we were hoping to get it.
“Their team played a very good game. They got good starting pitching and good relief pitching and hit the ball when they needed to. I hope our guys were paying attention, because that’s what we’re going to have to do if we want to win at Sedalia.”
Shay Parra and Anthony Dutcher had two hits each for Fike and Corbin Hare had two singles and a double for the A’s.
BLUE SPRINGS POST 499/FIKE 4, BLUE SPRINGS ROD’S SPORTS A’S 3: Fike scored four early unearned runs and held on to edge the A’s in the winners’ bracket final to earn a berth in the championship and the Zone 2 Tournament beginning Thursday at Sedalia.
The A’s totaled 10 hits, seven walks and three hit batsmen, but they stranded 15 runners as poor base running and a lack of timely hitting proved costly.
Logan Taylor was the winning pitcher and Spencer Schwandt took the loss.
Sam Morman hit a two-run double with what proved to be the winning runs to cap a three-run third inning to put Fike ahead 4-1. Morman also pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save.
Ruben Paniagua added two singles for Fike.
Alex Duvall and David Stober each had two hits for the A’s.
BLUE SPRINGS ROD’S SPORTS A’S 20, SEDALIA POST 642 TRAVELERS 8: The A’s rebounded to make the championship by routing Sedalia in the losers’ bracket final. The A’s combined nine hits, eight walks, six hit batters and eight Sedalia errors for the win, which qualified them for the Zone 2 Tournament in Sedalia on Thursday.
Alex Duvall pitched five innings for the victory.
Tyler Barth and Brian Burasco each had two hits and three RBIs for the A’s, and Jacob Schwandt added two hits and two RBIs. Matt Morrison doubled with two RBIs. Dalton Christian had four hits for Sedalia (20-23).
BLUE SPRINGS ROD’S SPORTS A’S 20, SEDALIA POST 642 TRAVELERS 2: The A’s opened with a rout of Sedalia in the winners’ bracket semifinals. Leadoff hitter Wylson Lamb had five hits and No. 2 hitter Kyle Roberts posted four to lead a 16-hit attack. David Stober added two hits, including a two-run homer.
Tyler Barth pitched six innings for the victory as he and Roberts held Sedalia to six hits. The A’s coasted after taking a 14-1 lead after two innings.
BLUE SPRINGS POST 499 FIKE 7, HI-BOY DRIVE IN/POST 340 4: Fike pounded out three home runs to top Hi-Boy/Post 340 in the other winners’ bracket semifinal.
Stephen Montisano had three hits, including a two-run homer. Cody Cloughley and Dylan Farrell each added solo blasts. Brett Valentine added four hits.
Cloughley allowed six hits over 8 2/3 innings as Fike remained unbeaten against Post 340 this season.
Ryan Stick homered and Spencer Gearhart and Dustin Shores each doubled for Post 340.
Fike scored a run in the fourth inning to take the lead for good at 4-3.
Derek Pike suffered the loss.
HI-BOY DRIVE IN/POST 340 6, OAK GROVE POST 379 1: Devin Shores struck out 13 and allowed just four hits in eight innings for the victory.
Lucas Williams went the distance in suffering the loss as Oak Grove finished 20-24 after advancing on a 9-0 forfeit win over Excelsior Springs Post 236.
Joel Frias hit three singles and a double to help power Post 340. Stick and Eric Gant each doubled for Hi-Boy, which scored three runs in the first inning for an early lead.
A three-run first inning ignited Post 340 to the victory.
SEDALIA POST 642 TRAVELERS 17, HI-BOY DRIVE IN/POST 340 5: Sedalia earned a berth in the losers’ bracket final and ended Hi-Boy’s season at 31-14 with a rout on Sunday.
Sedalia collected 18 hits, including four by Spencer White. Jordan Dey had three hits and five RBIs.
Spencer Gearhart led Post 340 with three hits and two RBIs. Brett Graham added two hits.
Sedalia, which also earned a berth in this week’s Zone 2 Tournament, led 5-1 after two innings and ended it early on the mercy rule with five runs in the top of the seventh.
Andrew Jennings suffered the loss for Hi-Boy. Cameron Backes earned the win for Sedalia.
