Tanner Staats tries to avoid being hit by a pitch in the opener of Tuesday’s District 7 Babe Ruth Tournament at Wallace Park. (Photo by Andy Brown / andybrown@miconews.com)
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Paola 14-year-olds earn state berth
All-Stars rout East Central during District 7 Babe Ruth tourney with 11-4 and 7-2 victories Tuesday
By Andy Brown, andybrown@miconews.com
The Paola 14-year-old Babe Ruth baseball team is on a mission — a mission to prove last year’s performance was just a fluke.
Many of the same players competed in the 13-and-under state tournament last year and were two and done. Now a year older, the Panthers hope to make a little more noise this time around.
If Tuesday’s District 7 Babe Ruth Tournament was any indication of what is to come, Paola has a lot to look forward to. The Panthers took care of business against East Central Kansas with 11-4 and 7-2 wins to take the tourney and advance to the state tournament next week.
“Everyone is excited to see what we can do down there,” Paola coach Pat Petelin said. “We didn’t have good luck last year at state, and to be honest, we just didn’t play well. I think the guys are going to do a lot better this time.”
Paola didn’t have much of a problem dispensing the East Central team, which was made up of all-stars from Franklin and Osage counties, in the two-team tournament.
In the opener, the Panthers found themselves down a run in the first inning, but scored seven runs in their half of the first and four more in the second to put the game away early. Everything was going Paola’s way, especially in the first, when James Young laid down a squeeze bunt with runners on second and third and both scored.
“That was just a great play,” Petelin said. “It is hard enough to score one runner on a play like that, but to score two just gave us all the momentum.”
It didn’t help East Central’s cause to have to go up against Paola’s Seth Kern for five innings. Kern gave up just three runs and struck out nine batters in five innings before reliever Sam Schneider came in and shut the door.
Kern also helped out his own cause at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance with two stolen bases and two runs scored. Matt Petelin, Jeremiah Daniels and Taylor Harris each had hits in the game, and the Panthers took advantage of seven East Central walks.
Austin Dent, Kyle Isabell and Daniels each scored two runs in the opener.
The Panthers got another good pitching performance in the night cap from Isabell, who went five innings and gave up just two runs and had two strikeouts. Matt Haefele pitched the final two innings and held East Central scoreless.
Isabell helped his own cause with three hits on the day, while Dent and Tanner Staats each added a pair of hits and scored two runs. Matt Petelin had a hit and scored two runs, while Daniels and Young each added a hit as well.
Paola jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first and never looked back. East Central took a 3-2 lead in the second, but the Panthers answered with a run in the third and four more in the fourth to put the game away.
“I thought overall the kids played great,” coach Petelin said. “I am sure they were a little nervous to start the tournament because they know their season could be over with just two losses, but I was proud of all of them.”
Not only did they take home the tourney title, they also earned the sportsmanship trophy. Kern earned the MVP honor in the opener, and Haefele won it in the second game. Young was presented with the WOW award for his squeeze bunt in the first game, and the combo of Haefele, Petelin and Austin Ohlmeier won the WOW award for a double play in the sixth inning of the nightcap.
Paola will now venture to Hillsboro, Kan., for the state tournament at Tabor College. The team will leave Thursday, and their first game is scheduled for 5 p.m. July 25.
Members of the team are Matt Petelin, Tanner Staats, Austin Dent, Seth Kern, Kyle Isabell, Jeremiah Daniels, Austin Ohlmeier, James Young, Taylor Harris, Sam Schneider and Matt Haefele. Pat Petelin is the manager is assisted by Jim Ohlmeier and John Haefele.
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Many of the same players competed in the 13-and-under state tournament last year and were two and done. Now a year older, the Panthers hope to make a little more noise this time around.
If Tuesday’s District 7 Babe Ruth Tournament was any indication of what is to come, Paola has a lot to look forward to. The Panthers took care of business against East Central Kansas with 11-4 and 7-2 wins to take the tourney and advance to the state tournament next week.
“Everyone is excited to see what we can do down there,” Paola coach Pat Petelin said. “We didn’t have good luck last year at state, and to be honest, we just didn’t play well. I think the guys are going to do a lot better this time.”
Paola didn’t have much of a problem dispensing the East Central team, which was made up of all-stars from Franklin and Osage counties, in the two-team tournament.
In the opener, the Panthers found themselves down a run in the first inning, but scored seven runs in their half of the first and four more in the second to put the game away early. Everything was going Paola’s way, especially in the first, when James Young laid down a squeeze bunt with runners on second and third and both scored.
“That was just a great play,” Petelin said. “It is hard enough to score one runner on a play like that, but to score two just gave us all the momentum.”
It didn’t help East Central’s cause to have to go up against Paola’s Seth Kern for five innings. Kern gave up just three runs and struck out nine batters in five innings before reliever Sam Schneider came in and shut the door.
Kern also helped out his own cause at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance with two stolen bases and two runs scored. Matt Petelin, Jeremiah Daniels and Taylor Harris each had hits in the game, and the Panthers took advantage of seven East Central walks.
Austin Dent, Kyle Isabell and Daniels each scored two runs in the opener.
The Panthers got another good pitching performance in the night cap from Isabell, who went five innings and gave up just two runs and had two strikeouts. Matt Haefele pitched the final two innings and held East Central scoreless.
Isabell helped his own cause with three hits on the day, while Dent and Tanner Staats each added a pair of hits and scored two runs. Matt Petelin had a hit and scored two runs, while Daniels and Young each added a hit as well.
Paola jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first and never looked back. East Central took a 3-2 lead in the second, but the Panthers answered with a run in the third and four more in the fourth to put the game away.
“I thought overall the kids played great,” coach Petelin said. “I am sure they were a little nervous to start the tournament because they know their season could be over with just two losses, but I was proud of all of them.”
Not only did they take home the tourney title, they also earned the sportsmanship trophy. Kern earned the MVP honor in the opener, and Haefele won it in the second game. Young was presented with the WOW award for his squeeze bunt in the first game, and the combo of Haefele, Petelin and Austin Ohlmeier won the WOW award for a double play in the sixth inning of the nightcap.
Paola will now venture to Hillsboro, Kan., for the state tournament at Tabor College. The team will leave Thursday, and their first game is scheduled for 5 p.m. July 25.
Members of the team are Matt Petelin, Tanner Staats, Austin Dent, Seth Kern, Kyle Isabell, Jeremiah Daniels, Austin Ohlmeier, James Young, Taylor Harris, Sam Schneider and Matt Haefele. Pat Petelin is the manager is assisted by Jim Ohlmeier and John Haefele.