Squirrels squeak by Pirates 6-5, return to title game

sports@standard-democrat.com

CHARLESTON -- Just when it looked like they'd be relegated to the loser's bracket of the Senior Babe Ruth Missouri State Tournament, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels proved they may be down but they're never out of it.

Overcoming a late four-run deficit against the SEMO Pirates on Sunday the defending champion Squirrels pulled out a dramatic 6-5 win that once again has them in the championship game.

"I can't say enough about my kids," Charleston head coach Michael Minner said. "They just keep playing. We don't get too wound up. We got down 4-0 and our approach didn't change. We stayed aggressive at the plate and put some pressure on them."

For four innings the Squirrels were at the mercy of SEMO starter Jacob Trammel. Buoyed by his team's four-run rally in the bottom of the third, Trammel held Charleston to only one hit and a pair of walks heading into the fifth.

After a quick groundout to start the top of the fifth, however, things took a turn for the worse for the Pirates.

Back-to-back walks were compounded by an error to load the bases and give Charleston its first real threat of the game. Another walk forced in the Squirrels' first run and, much to Charleston's relief, meant an end to Trammel's time on the mound.

"They're making a decision to try and win the game, but we were glad to see Trammel go," Minner said. "He pumped strikes and mixed it up. He was excellent today."

Even with Trammel out of the game SEMO surrendered their fourth walk of the inning to force in another run and leave the bases loaded. Ryan Fortner stepped to the plate and, despite having struck out twice already, provided Charleston with the game-defining hit.

With a full count and the runners going on the windup, Fortner sent a shot into the right-centerfield gap that easily cleared the bases and gave the Squirrels their first lead, 5-4.

"Sometimes you're the goat for four innings and you get that one opportunity and get lucky sometimes," Fortner said.

Charleston left the fifth without scoring again, but totaled five runs on four walks and just one base hit.

"You don't want to face Ryan with the bases loaded," Minner said. "Even though he had struck out twice he's been seeing the ball well. He goes down a hero and he was 1 for 4 with three strikeouts, but he drove in the run that blows the game open.

"That's baseball."

A scoreless sixth inning followed before Charleston added what turned out to be a game-changing insurance run in the top of the seventh. A leadoff triple by Brad Potts was made good in the next at-bat when Tim Fox doubled him in to make it 6-4.

The Squirrels stranded the bases-loaded to end the threat, but now held a crucial two-run edge.

With one last shot to at least force extra-innings, SEMO picked up a pair of quick outs to start the bottom of the seventh. Their hopes were kept alive when Tyson Campbell and Landon Johnson singled to put runners on first and second.

Brad Freed followed suit with his third-straight hit to plate Campbell and close his team within a run. A grounder to third base was turned into an attempted force play at the bag and to the Squirrel's chagrin the runner was ruled safe.

One hit away from a walk-off loss, Charleston relief pitcher Cody Payne got a dropped swinging third strike that was quickly picked up to complete a force at home and end the game.

Payne came in to start the final inning after catching starter Jarrett Sandlin all day. While not the most ideal conditions, he was more than ready.

"I was pretty wore out after being behind the plate all day," Payne said. "It's hot out here, but coach had faith in me and I had faith in myself. You just have to go out and get it done. (That final at-bat) I hit him with a first pitch curveball and went back to it for my second pitch. He fouled it off and was right on it so I went with my slider for my third pitch. It has a little bit tighter break so i could give him a different look with it."

Payne picks up the save with Sandlin earning the win. Sandlin went six innings where he gave up six hits and three walks while striking out six.

His only damage came in the third when the Pirates put up four runs on three hits and a walk.

Taking the loss is Trammel, who went 4 1/3 innings in which he surrendered four runs on only one hit. He gave up five walks and fanned five.

"He was dealing early, but it's the first 96 degree day he's thrown in," SEMO head coach Jeffery McCain said. "He gets in the fifth and gets a little gassed. I went out there and he said it's best he'd felt all summer, but he's been getting tired early. Two full counts and he walks a kid, I have to make a move there. Can't let them get anything for free."

Charleston was actually out-hit 9-6 in the contest with Luke Haines leading the way, going 2 for 4. Potts tripled and walked while scoring a run and drove in another.

Fox doubled and drew two walks with Fortner and Payne each singling. Fortner drove in three runs and Payne also collected a walk.

For the Pirates, Campbell was 2 for 4 with a bases-clearing triple in the fourth that gave him all three RBIs he had on the day. Freed was 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs.

The loss drops the Pirates down to the loser's bracket of the tournament. They play Monday against whoever is left from Sunday night's matchup of Piedmont/Potosi and Booneville/Polar Bluff.

The winner of those two games will play each other at 5:30 p.m. on Monday and the winner advances to play the Pirates at 8 p.m. for a chance to come out of the loser's bracket and play the Squirrels on Tuesday for the championship.

"You never want to get in the loser's bracket, but if you do, this is when you want to do it," McCain said. "We're set up to get back. We're built on pitching and timely hitting. We have a few arms left so we'll see if we can get back and make a game of it."

As for Charleston, they'll get some welcomed rest Monday while waiting to see who they'll play Tuesday as they go for their seventh title in eight years.

They'll have room for error as they play the winner of the loser's bracket on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. If they lose that contest they play again in a winner-take-all game later that night.

"It will be nice for them to get a day of rest," Minner said of his team. "We might take some batting practice, but it will be nice to rest our arms and load up. We'll be full force on Tuesday night. I can guarantee you when there's a championship on the line this team will be ready to play."

Charleston 000 050 1 - 6

SEMO 004 000 1 - 5

WP -- Jarrett Sandlin. LP -- Jacob Trammel. SV -- Cody Payne. Multiple hitters: (C) Luke Haines 2-4; Tyson Campbell 2-4, Brad Freed 2-3. 2B -- (C) Tim Fox. 3B -- (C) Brad Potts; (S) Campbell.