Yankees take game one - still undefeated
July 13, 2013
The Boundary County Yankees talk over strategy during Friday night's state championship opener against North Boise.
Photos courtesy of Justin Pluid
The Boundary County Yankees improved their U-13 Intermediate Little League league record to 23-0 Friday night, defeating North Boise in a tournament for the state title, 6-4. Play resumes at 6:15 p.m. today in Boise, and if the Yankees pull off the win tonight, they'll be the Idaho state champions.

Kobe Norwood heading for first.
Both teams were scoreless in the first inning of Friday's game, but North Boise was threatening in the second with one out and runners on first and third. The Yankees eliminated the threat by rolling up a 4-6-3 double play, with Raul Rodriguez fielding the hard grounder, firing it to shortstop Seth Bateman, who fired it to Trey Flint to end the inning.

North Boise scored the first run of the game in the third inning, then scored again in the fourth, but the Yankees also got on the scoreboard, with Flint starting the inning with a hard single to right field. Dunham lined out to the short stop for the first out, and Rodriguez hit into a fielder's choice, forcing Flint out at second.

Rodriguez flew down the line, beating out a potential double play, stole second and scored on a hard single down the left field line by Tyrone Larson.

Boundary County escaped the inning on a double play. With one out and a runner on second, the North Boise batter popped up to catcher Brady Bateman, who threw to second to double off the runner to end the inning with North Boise ahead, 2-1.

Pacen Pluid leading off second.
North Boise struck again in the top of the fifth, taking their lead to 3-1, but the Yankees roared back to score five runs and take the lead for good, 6-3.

Pacen Pluid started the inning off with a walk, and Kendall Stone was hit by his first pitch. With runners on first and second, Seth Bateman squared early to bunt and North Boise's third baseman charged in, allowing Pluid to steal third.

Pluid scored when the catcher threw down to third, but the ball went into left field with no one covering. Seth Bateman singled, moving Stone to third. Seth promptly stole second, and Brady Bateman was walked, loading the bases.

Flint stepped up to the plate and lined a shot into right center, scoring Stone and Seth, with Brady advancing to third.

Dunham reached first on a fielder's choice, forcing Flint out at second on a sharp grounder to short, scoring Brady.

Rodriguez lined a double down the left field line, moving Dunham to third. Larson hit a foul pop-up down the first base line, and tagging from third, Dunham scored.

Player of the Game Jesse Dunham.
North Boise's lead off hitter smashed a triple over the center fielder's head and scored on a groundout to Seth for the final run of the game.

Pitcher Jesse Dunham, named Player of the Game, recorded the first out in the top of the seventh. He had thrown 95 pitches, giving up only one earned run, but he reached his pitch limit.

Tyrone Larson took over on the mound, giving up a single but striking out the next two to end the game.

Rodriguez and Seth Bateman played error-free baseball up the middle, handling all 11 opportunities to hit their way.

With Dunham no longer eligible to pitch, Larson will be on the mound to start tonight's game.
Batting AB  R  H  RBI  BB  SO 
Seth Bateman 4 1 1 0 0 0
Brady Bateman 2 1 0 0 1 0
Trey Flint 2 0 2 2 1 0
Jesse Dunham 3 1 0 1 0 0
Raul Rodriguez 3 1 1 0 0 1
Tyrone Larson 2 0 1 2 0 0
Kobe Norwood 3 0 0 0 0 1
Kendall Stone


 2 1 0 0 1 0
Anthony Bennett 2 0 0 0 0 2
Pacen Pluid 0 1 0 0 0 0
Totals 23 6 5 5 3 4
 
 
Pitching IP  H  R  ER  BB  SO 
J. Dunham  6.1 7 4 1 1 7
T. Larson  0.2 1 0 0 0 2
Totals 7 8 4 1 1 9