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Tropics dismiss adversity quickly before exploding for W
Monday, August 12, 2024
Southeast Tropics' hitter Trey Benthal (center) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run against Pacific Southwest on Sunday at Capaha Field in the Babe Ruth World Series.
Tony Capobianco ~ Tcapobianco@semoball.com
One thing that cannot be debated about the Southeast Tropics is that this group of players can be stunningly oblivious to any adversity that confronts the squad.
“Our guys don’t quit,” veteran Southeast Tropics manager Dustin Schwartz said of his team earlier this summer. “We can kind of wait a little late sometimes to get going (but) they are never out of a game.”
On Sunday, the Pacific Southwest baseball club based out of Mountain View, California, scored six runs against the Tropics in the second inning of their game in the Babe Ruth World Series at Capaha Field. The offensive production included a rare inside-the-park grand slam, as Pacific Southwest took an 8-3 lead over the defending World Series champions.
The Tropics were rocked for all of a few minutes, however.
Schwartz’s kids responded immediately in their next at-bat by hitting for the cycle, drawing five walks, and even taking a pair of pitches into their bodies, and exploded for nine runs in the third inning for a 12-8 lead and eventually won 13-10.
The win was the ninth consecutive for the Tropics (29-6-1).
“We play hard,” Schwartz continued in describing his players at the time. “That is all that I ask for from them. I ask them to give me 100 percent every time that we step out on the field, and they do that for me.”
The Tropics' massive inning began when lead-off hitter Aaron Dunlap reached on a California misplay.
Dunlap scored to cut the margin to 8-4 on a triple by Kolten Payne, who also tripled in Saturday’s win over Aruba, which was followed by a walk drawn by Mason Adams.
With runners at the corners, Adams’ former teammate at Portageville High School, Trey Benthal, powered a home run over the left field fence to pull the Tropics to within 8-7.
Former Jackson High standout, Dylan Hayman, then connected for a double, and that was followed by Kelly High alum Dalton Forck drawing a base-on-balls.
Beau-Hunter Warren moved Hayman and Forck up a base with a sacrifice bunt, and then Jayquan Bogan was hit by a pitch and loaded the bases.
After Hayman got thrown out at home plate, Dunlap drew a walk, which brought home pinch-runner Waylon Hale that tied the game, which was followed by Payne singling home Bogan and pinch-runner Brenden Campbell for a 10-8 margin, and the Tropics never trailed again.
Dunlap scored on a double steal to make the margin 11-8, and with bases loaded again, Hayman was hit by a pitch, which scored Payne.
In total, the Tropics converted eight hits into 13 runs, which lifted them past the struggles of starting pitcher Ross Peters, who allowed eight earned runs on three hits and walked five in 1 2/3 innings.
Forck worked three innings in relief and gave up just two hits and no runs, as he walked two and struck out five.
Warren closed the final 2 1/3 innings and gave up two hits, one earned run while walking two and striking out two.
Payne had two hits while scoring twice, driving in three runs, and walking once to pace his team’s offense while Dunlap (two runs, one RBI, two walks), Adams (two hits, one run, one RBI, two walks), Benthal (two runs, one hit, three RBI, two walks), Hayman (one hit, one run, one RBI, one walk), Frock (one walk), Warren (two hits, one run, one RBI), Bogan (two runs, two walks), and Campbell (one run) also contributed.
Hayman and Adams each had doubles while Dunlap, Hayman, Payne, and Benthal each stole a base.
The Tropics will wrap up pool play today at 4:30 p.m. at Capaha Field against New England, which is based out of Stamford, Connecticut.
New England topped Aruba 15-0 on Sunday, lost to Mid-County, Texas 8-6 on Saturday, and opened the World Series with a 13-5 win over Mountain View, Calif. On Friday.