DENVER – The Marlins Baseball Club scored five unanswered runs to defeat Ropes by a final of 6-2 on Sunday at Metropolitan State University of Denver, securing a victory in the Connie Mack World Series Colorado qualifier and a spot in next month’s Connie Mack World Series in Farmington.
Coached by Landry Mayo, the Marlins, based out of Tomball, Texas, struck first in the top of the first inning when Regan Williams stole home on a double steal while Dylan Duran took second.
The Ropes answered immediately in the bottom half of the frame. Masen Patton scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Brady Morgeson to tie the game, and Alex Calderon followed with an RBI double to right field, driving in Major Jennings to give the Ropes a 2-1 lead.
The Marlins tied it 2-2 in the top of the fourth when Bryce Bloom-Timmins crossed the plate on a passed ball.
The game swung for good in the top of the sixth. Bloom-Timmins scored his second run of the game, coming home on a passed ball coupled with an error by Ropes catcher Masen Patton to break the tie.
Later in the inning, Alex Cooley laced an RBI double to left field to score Williams, and Duran capped the rally with a two-run double to center field, bringing home Cooley and Roman Stevens to secure the four-run win.
The Marlins are the first team to advance to this summer’s CMWS by winning a regional qualifying event. The Marlins join last year’s CMWS champion Dulins Dodgers, as well as the Midland (Ohio) Redskins and D-Bat United Baseball (Dallas) as part of the roster of teams scheduled to compete in the CMWS, which will open at Ricketts Park on Friday, July 24.
The Marlins advanced to the finals of the Colorado qualifier after topping 4 Corners Blue 7-5 in Saturday’s semifinal.
The Marlins rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, led by a mix of timely hitting and defensive miscues by 4 Corners that put the Marlins ahead 5-2 heading into the third inning. Bloom-Timmins crushed a two-run home run to center field with Chance Kirtley aboard, extending the Marlins’ cushion to 7-3 after three innings.
The Ropes, coached by Danny Florence, advanced to the championship game after a 4-3 walk-off win over the Dallas Tigers. Jennings’ bases-loaded single in the bottom of the sixth inning scored Caden Humphrey and lifted the Ropes into the finals.
A handful of regional qualifying tournaments are taking place this week across the country, including events in Orange County, California; Springfield, Missouri; and Franklin, Texas.