FARMINGTON – If baseball championships and the Dodgers are synonymous terms for fans across the country, it is about to become an even more familiar phrase at next month’s Connie Mack World Series.
A late-inning rally and a five-run outburst in the final frame pushed Dulins Dodgers Prime-Dulin 17U past Sandlot Scout in Sunday’s championship game of the Ozarks Qualifier, keeping the organization’s dominance in amateur baseball rolling.
With the victory, this Dodgers squad secures its place as one of three teams from the Dulins organization to earn a berth in the Connie Mack World Series at Ricketts Field.
In addition to the defending tournament champion Dodgers, who earned an automatic bid into this year’s event, the Dodgers’ championship squad from last summer’s Don Mattingly World Series also earned an automatic bid into the tournament, which opens Friday, July 24.
It marks the first time in nearly a decade an organization will have more than two teams in the same Connie Mack World Series. Dallas-based D-Bat United had three teams competing in the 2017 World Series. It also ensures that at least five teams from Texas will be in the 12-team lineup.
Sandlot Scout struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Reid Smith lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Ethan Evans for an early 1-0 lead.
The Dodgers answered immediately in the top of the second. Liam Quinlan cleared the bases with a clutch line-drive triple to right field, bringing home Landon Schmidt, Koen Isaacson and Mark Ramos.
Brady Sommers followed with an RBI single to left, driving in Quinlan to cap a four-run frame.
Dulins extended the lead to 5-1 in the third when Ramos grounded out to shortstop, allowing Reed Blakely to cross the plate. In the fourth, Blakely padded the lead by launching an RBI triple to right field to score Asher Strait.
Sandlot Scout began its comeback in the fifth, capitalizing on a throwing error by pitcher Brett Hill that allowed Isaac Anderson to score.
The bottom of the sixth saw the Dodgers’ pitching melt down. Sandlot Scout drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks from Asher Strait, bringing home Eli Swarer and Chris Zaferes. Cale Wigington then delivered the game-tying blow, lining a two-run single to left field to score Kaden Tunnell and Anderson, knotting the contest at 6-6.
The tie did not last long. In the top of the seventh, Lucas Smith broke the deadlock by dropping an RBI double into left field to score Strait.
The Dodgers then turned to small ball, executing consecutive RBI bunt singles by Isaacson and Ramos to extend the lead to 9-6.
Quinlan finished the scoring outburst when he reached on an error by right fielder Reid Smith, allowing both Ramos and Isaacson to score, sealing the 11-6 victory and punching the Dodgers’ ticket to the World Series.
Coached by Tim Dulin, the Dodgers Prime team has a number of offensive weapons, including Lovejoy (Texas) High’s Blakely and Isaacson from Memorial (Oklahoma) High.
The Dodgers Prime team reached the Ozarks championship game thanks to a 10-1 win over the Oklahoma Express earlier in the day Sunday.
Tulane University commit Drew Wells powered TEST Black 17U past the Texas Angels 8-5, securing a spot in the Connie Mack World Series.
Wells put TEST Black ahead for good in the top of the third inning, blasting a three-run home run to right field to extend the lead to 5-0. He finished the day with a home run, a single, a run scored and four RBIs.
Hailing from Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park, Texas, Wells batted .297 last season for the Rangers with 20 RBIs while also striking out 40 hitters in more than 34 innings on the mound.
TEST Black struck first in the second inning when Jake Shoemaker hit a hard ground-ball single to right field, bringing Wells home. Shoemaker later scored on a passed ball after advancing on a wild pitch.
The Texas Angels attempted a comeback in the bottom of the third when Luke Spielhagen hit a triple to center field, scoring DJ Aranda. Cal Isley cut the deficit further in the fourth with a solo home run to left field, making it 6-2.
The Angels mounted their biggest threat in the fifth inning. Sam Kennedy hit an RBI double to left field to score Aranda, and Dylan Regala followed with a hard ground-ball single to left, scoring Spielhagen to bring the Angels within two runs at 6-4.
TEST Black answered with crucial insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Wells singled to right field to drive in Tyson McFarlin, and Connor Young followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Hudson Cuevas to extend the lead to 8-4.
Starting pitcher Connor Young struck out five hitters to earn the win, throwing 4 1/3 innings. The Angels added a final run in the bottom of the seventh when Aranda scored on a balk by pitcher Preston Gorski. However, Gorski rallied to induce a game-ending groundout from Kennedy to Wells at first base, sealing the victory and the World Series berth.
TEST Black advanced to the finals after a 9-1 win Saturday over the North Texas Dirtbags. Hudson Cuevas and Troy Gonzalez each had a home run in the victory, while winning pitcher Tripp Kneale allowed only one hit and four walks over 4 2/3 innings.
Coached by Cole Hill, TEST Black is based out of Austin, Texas, and joins a growing field of teams taking part in the tournament, which opens at Ricketts Park on Friday, July 24.
Last week, the Marlins Baseball Club, based out of Tomball, Texas, earned its way into the field by securing the championship in the Colorado Qualifier with a 6-2 win over the Ropes in the title game.