All-Stars Run Ends, Lose 9-8 in Championship Bout

Jul. 11, 2009

Things looked pretty good for four innings into the championship game Saturday night at Mountain Ridge Park. The Cheyenne 11-year-old All-Stars held a comfortable 8-2 lead, starter Nick Parr was looking brilliant on the hill, Adam Mitchell and Hayden LeCates just got done hitting home runs - LeCates' a grand slam - and our defensive was playing solid baseball.

Then, the Mountain Ridge All-Stars bats came alive. The eventual District 4 champs erupted for four, fifth inning runs to pull within two, 8-6. Their four runs came on a grand slam dinger of their own. Two more Mountain Ridge home runs in the top of the sixth, leading to three runs, put them in the lead, 9-8.

To keep their championship hopes alive (A victory for Cheyenne would have forced the "if necessary" game Monday night) Cheyenne needed one run to send the game to extra innings or two runs to win. With one out in the last chance sixth, AJ Gourrier tapped a grounder toward first base, avoided the tag, and was called "safe" by the field umpire. However, the plate umpire over-ruled the play and said Gourrier was tagged. A controversial call that will be talked about for years. So with two outs, Cheyenne's hopes were fading. Jacob Radmanovich drew a walk to spark hope but LeCates, who had two singles and the towering grand slam home run in his previous at bats, flew out to right-center field to end the game and Cheyenne's season. The Mountain Ridge All-Stars - who both of Cheyenne's losses in the tournament were in the hands of - were the District 4 champs, winning 9-8.

The game was scoreless through two innings until Mountain Ridge tallied two unearned runs off of two hits and two Cheyenne errors. Cheyenne retaliated with one run of their own in the bottom of the third off of back-to-back-to-back singles by Gourrier, Radmanovich, and LeCates.

After Parr shut down Mountain Ridge in the top of the fourth, Cheyenne went on their seven-run blitz. Key hits included the home runs by Mitchell and LeCates and singles by Oscar Carrillo and Brandon Lite. You know the rest.

Parr pitched five innings giving up just seven hits while striking out five. Robbie Galvan picked up the loss.

Well... our season has ended but what a great effort put forth by our 13 talented ballplayers. You should all feel very proud! Thanks to our coaches, team mom Nancy, and all the support from our fans.

Just wait until next year!