Andrew Henn fires one home for the Paola Major Division all-stars against Girard on Friday evening. Henn faced the minimum 12 batters in four innings, striking out eight of them in an 11-0 one-hitter. (Photo by Gene Morris / gmorris@miconews.com)
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Henn fans eight in one-hit, 11-0 shutout
Major, Minor all-stars head to Baxter Springs
By Gene Morris, gmorris@miconews.com
ARMA, Kan. — To say Andrew Henn dominated the second round of the Major Division all-star playoffs for Paola in an 11-0 shutout against Girard on Friday night is an understatement.
Henn was in such a zone that for the better part of the game the right-hander was basically just playing catch with Mitchell Sloan.
After fielding a one-hopper back to the mound and throwing to Trey Taylor at first base for the first out and covering first base on a ball Taylor blocked in front of him and tossed to Henn for the second out, the Paola starter proceeded to strike out the next seven batters he faced.
Henn struck out the last batter he faced in the first inning and went on to strike out the side in order in the second and third innings.
He didn’t waste pitches, either. His three strikeouts in the third inning took a grand total of 10 pitches.
“Drew, great job,” Paola manager Scott Golubski said. “You were ahead of them all night.”
Henn was by no means the only Panther who came to play for the Paola all-stars, Golubski said. The team came out ready to take care of business.
“Everyone of you guys played great tonight,” Golubski said during a team meeting. “Jake (Robison), that was a great bunt. How about that?”
Robison entered the game in the third inning with runners at first and second and was asked to move the runners over with a bunt. He did that and more, beating it out for an infield single.
“We hit the ball a lot better tonight,” Golubski said. “You guys came out in the first inning, got a guy on, bunted him over and got him in. They knew you guys were ready to play when they saw that.”
The Paola Little League Major Division all-stars advanced to the next playoff round this week in Baxter Springs with a state title on the line. The winner advances to regionals in Indianapolis.
The Paola Minor Division all-stars defeated Girard 18-8 on Thursday night to advance, taking control of the game with an 11-run fourth inning.
Both of the Paola teams head to Baxter Springs with 2-0 records in the playoffs, defeating Arma in first-round action.
Paola struck for five runs in the first two innings Friday night, giving Henn more than he would need to seal the victory against Girard.
Gunnar Karr walked to open the game. Henn beat out an infield single with one out, putting runners at first and third. A passed ball and a throwing error allowed both runners to score, putting Paola on the scoreboard, 2-0.
Karsten Gray walked to start the second inning and would end up scoring like Karr did in the first, taking advantage of the base on balls.
Karsten went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kyle Gray and scored on a wild pitch.
Chase Jorgensen walked and went to second on a wild pitch and third base on a passed ball.
Brett Golubski walked with two outs. Henn reached on a throwing error, and a second throwing error sent Jorgensen and Golubski home for a 5-0 Paola lead.
Henn worked a perfect third inning.
Paola added to its lead in the home half of the third inning. Taylor and Hunter Locke walked.
Jake Robison beat out a bunt single to load the bases.
A wild pitch sent Taylor across home plate. Jorgensen then walked to load the bases again.
Locke scored on the second wild pitch of the inning. Another wild pitch and an error on a throw to third base sent Robison and Jorgensen home for a 9-0 lead.
A single to open the top of the fourth inning ended Henn’s bid for a perfect game.
Henn struck out the next batter. Taylor caught a foul pop fly and tagged first base to double off the runner.
Paola needed just one run to end the game by run-rule in the fourth inning and got two on the continuation of a triple by Taylor.
Henn singled. Sloan walked. Henn stole third base, and Sloan advanced to second on a delayed double-steal.
Taylor ripped a line drive down the line in right field, sending Henn and Sloan home. Taylor was waved to third base and then home, taking a shot at the inside-the-park home run since the game was going to be over after the play anyway, and was gunned down at the plate.
Taylor settled for the two-run triple, ending the game by run-rule in four innings with a score of 11-0.
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Henn was in such a zone that for the better part of the game the right-hander was basically just playing catch with Mitchell Sloan.
After fielding a one-hopper back to the mound and throwing to Trey Taylor at first base for the first out and covering first base on a ball Taylor blocked in front of him and tossed to Henn for the second out, the Paola starter proceeded to strike out the next seven batters he faced.
Henn struck out the last batter he faced in the first inning and went on to strike out the side in order in the second and third innings.
He didn’t waste pitches, either. His three strikeouts in the third inning took a grand total of 10 pitches.
“Drew, great job,” Paola manager Scott Golubski said. “You were ahead of them all night.”
Henn was by no means the only Panther who came to play for the Paola all-stars, Golubski said. The team came out ready to take care of business.
“Everyone of you guys played great tonight,” Golubski said during a team meeting. “Jake (Robison), that was a great bunt. How about that?”
Robison entered the game in the third inning with runners at first and second and was asked to move the runners over with a bunt. He did that and more, beating it out for an infield single.
“We hit the ball a lot better tonight,” Golubski said. “You guys came out in the first inning, got a guy on, bunted him over and got him in. They knew you guys were ready to play when they saw that.”
The Paola Little League Major Division all-stars advanced to the next playoff round this week in Baxter Springs with a state title on the line. The winner advances to regionals in Indianapolis.
The Paola Minor Division all-stars defeated Girard 18-8 on Thursday night to advance, taking control of the game with an 11-run fourth inning.
Both of the Paola teams head to Baxter Springs with 2-0 records in the playoffs, defeating Arma in first-round action.
Paola struck for five runs in the first two innings Friday night, giving Henn more than he would need to seal the victory against Girard.
Gunnar Karr walked to open the game. Henn beat out an infield single with one out, putting runners at first and third. A passed ball and a throwing error allowed both runners to score, putting Paola on the scoreboard, 2-0.
Karsten Gray walked to start the second inning and would end up scoring like Karr did in the first, taking advantage of the base on balls.
Karsten went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kyle Gray and scored on a wild pitch.
Chase Jorgensen walked and went to second on a wild pitch and third base on a passed ball.
Brett Golubski walked with two outs. Henn reached on a throwing error, and a second throwing error sent Jorgensen and Golubski home for a 5-0 Paola lead.
Henn worked a perfect third inning.
Paola added to its lead in the home half of the third inning. Taylor and Hunter Locke walked.
Jake Robison beat out a bunt single to load the bases.
A wild pitch sent Taylor across home plate. Jorgensen then walked to load the bases again.
Locke scored on the second wild pitch of the inning. Another wild pitch and an error on a throw to third base sent Robison and Jorgensen home for a 9-0 lead.
A single to open the top of the fourth inning ended Henn’s bid for a perfect game.
Henn struck out the next batter. Taylor caught a foul pop fly and tagged first base to double off the runner.
Paola needed just one run to end the game by run-rule in the fourth inning and got two on the continuation of a triple by Taylor.
Henn singled. Sloan walked. Henn stole third base, and Sloan advanced to second on a delayed double-steal.
Taylor ripped a line drive down the line in right field, sending Henn and Sloan home. Taylor was waved to third base and then home, taking a shot at the inside-the-park home run since the game was going to be over after the play anyway, and was gunned down at the plate.
Taylor settled for the two-run triple, ending the game by run-rule in four innings with a score of 11-0.