By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
Any doubts that the Sitka Little League Majors Baseball All-Stars (10-12 years old) were underdogs at the Little League Northwest Regionals in San Bernardino, California, were alleviated as they went play-for-play against the best team Montana had to offer on Sunday before falling 1-0 on a last at-bat hit.
Montana’s Austin Pellersels tripled on a first pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning off Sitka relief pitcher Bryce Calhoun and Montana’s Brady Baker followed with a hit to Sitka shortstop Chance Coleman who threw to catcher Kai Hirai but the winning run scored.
“We played well,” Sitka manager Rich McAlpine said. “We battled through 97 degree heat. We just could not get the big hit.”
Although they didn’t score a run, Sitka, representing Alaska, had chances.
They put three runners on base in the first inning and connected with pitches well throughout the game.
Chance Coleman led off with a single and B. Calhoun, Emmit Johnson and Kai Hirai all made solid contact but were met with equally good fielding.
“Maybe we could have been a bit more aggressive as hitters,” McAlpine said. “Their pitcher was good and threw strikes but they were nothing special.”
Sitka Majors All-Stars players Emmit Johnson, Bryce Calhoun, Chance Coleman, coach Bob Calhoun, Caleb Calhoun, Trey Johnson, and coach Ryne Calhoun celebrate their state championship win on July 29 at Moller Field. Sitka fell to Montana 1-0 in their opening game at the Little League Northwest Region Tournament at San Bernardino, California on Sunday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Defensively, Sitka also came ready to play.
Coleman started the game and pitched a no-hitter into the fifth inning before exiting.
In the bottom of the first inning, Coleman struck out two Montana batters after striking the first with a pitch, and second baseman Josh McAlpin fielded a ground ball and threw to Caleb Calhoun at first for the third.
The game would be a pitching duel as Coleman notched nine K’s in the game and Montana’s Westen Fink nine.
Fink struck out the Sitka side in the top of the second inning.
Coleman walked two batters in the bottom half before Sitka shortstop B. Calhoun fielded a put out to McAlpin at second. Coleman then struck out Fink and C. Calhoun caught a pop-up foul for the third out.
Sitka threatened in the top of the third inning as Coleman hit a one-out single and B. Calhoun did the same. Montana’s Fink struck out the next hitter, before hitting Mason McLeod with a pitch to load the bases but Fink got the third out on pitches as well.
Coleman followed that showing with two more strikeouts in the bottom half of the third after McAlpin fielded another ground ball out.
In the top of the fourth Fink struck out two of the three outs to retire Sitka.
In the bottom half Coleman hit the first Montana batter and then struck out the side.
In the top of the fifth Coleman hit a one-out single and stole second base but was stranded by a fly out and a ground out.
In the bottom half Montana’s Jack Morgan reached on an infield error and was replaced by pinch runner Winter Lonebear. Coleman then caught a pop-up for an out and struck out the next batter before hitting Montana’s Anthony Williams to put runners at first and second. With 82 pitches spent by Coleman, Sitka brought in B. Calhoun and he struck out the last batter to retire the side.
Sitka went three up and three hard ground ball hits down in the top of the sixth inning as C. Calhoun returned a ball to the pitcher, and K. Hirai, and T. Johnson each sent one to Montana shortstop Pellersels, who fielded the shots and threw them on to Maddex Hemming at first base.
Montana’s heroics in the bottom half of the sixth were not easy. Pellersels’ opening triple was a hard shot just between B. Calhoun on the mound and McAlpin at second base and went to the fence.
Sitka was forced to play the infield in. Montana’s Baker then hit a shot that looked to be an easy scoring hit but Coleman knocked the ball down, and threw to home.
“It was just a hair late,” manager McAlpin said. “The runner slid under the tag. A real close play but the runner was safe. It was a tough way to lose after a well played game.”
Coleman led Sitka with a 3-3 day at the plate and B. Calhoun had 1 hit. Pellersels had Montana’s lone hit, Baker had 1 RBI. Tucker Keller and Baker walked.
Sitka’s Coleman pitched 4.2 innings. Of his 82 pitches, 52 were strikes. Along with his 9 strikeouts, he walked 2 batters and hit 1; B. Calhoun relieved (.1 IP, 7 P, 1 H, 1 R, 1 SO).
Montana’s Fink went the distance (88 P, 61 S, 4 H, 9 SO) to earn the win.
Sitka (0-1) will play an elimination game Tuesday against the loser of today’s Idaho (0-0) and Washington (1-0) game. Washington beat Wyoming 14-2 on Sunday. Wyoming (0-1) plays an elimination game on Tuesday against the loser of today’s Oregon (0-0) and Montana (1-0) game. The double elimination play continues to Saturday’s regional championship.
The winners of the eight U.S. Regions (Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, New England, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, West) and eight International Regions (Asia-Pacific, Australia, Canada, Caribbean, Europe-Africa, Japan, Latin America, Mexico) gather at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for the World Series on August 15-26.
