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Cumming Motors garners Altoona Teener Minor League title

Altoona Teener Minor League Championship

By John Hartsock 5 min read

Cumming Motors failed to capitalize on a bevy of scoring opportunities over the first five innings in its Altoona Teener Minor 13U Baseball League championship game with J.P. Auto Mart Monday night at Seitz Field, stranding a total of 10 baserunners and trailing 7-4.

But the bottom of the sixth inning was a different story, as Cumming Motors sent 10 batters to the plate and came up with several key run-scoring hits, pushing across five runs to post a come-from-behind 9-7 victory and take home the league championship trophy with a perfect 3-0 record in the postseason tournament.

"That was the story of the game -- in the first five innings, they got the clutch hits, and we did not, but in the last inning, we got the clutch hits, and that was the difference in the game,'' said Brent Lewis, who was filling in for his brother, Jarrod, as the manager of the Cumming Motors team, which was comprised largely of players who are students in the Cambria Heights Area School District.

"All three of our wins in this tournament were come-from-behind wins,'' Lewis said. "This team never gave up, and we got better as the year went on,'' Lewis added.

The big five-run sixth inning started for Cumming Motors after Avery Sowers reached on an error, and, one out later, scored on Eli Brown's double to left field. Derek Pardee followed with a single to right field, scoring Brown and pulling Cumming Motors to within 7-6.

Three batters later, a single to left field by catcher Blake Lewis scored Pardee from third base to tie the game. After Brock Lewis walked to load the bases, Chase Robley ripped a clutch two-out, two-run double to right field to score Preston Kline, who had reached after getting hit by a pitch, from third base, and Blake Lewis from second base to complete the rally.

Robley appreciated the gravity of the situation against J.P. Auto right-handed reliever Liam McDowell.

"It was just a low and in fastball and I knew that I needed to clutch up and hit (those baserunners in),'' said Robley, who said he is a student in the Glendale Area School District. "It's good to come from behind again. We've done that every game in the playoffs.''

J&P Auto Mart wiped out a 4-3 deficit with four runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 7-4 lead. Cam Pike, who had two hits and scored three runs in the game, drew a leadoff walk against Cumming Motors starter Grant Wharton, and Robley came on in relief. Kade Wasovich -- who was named the league's Most Valuable Player this year -- cracked a triple down the right field line, scoring Pike to tie the game, 4-4.

Wasovich scored on Max Wentz's groundout to give J&P Auto Mart a 5-4 lead, and after Marcello Bongiorno and Jack Roland both walked and Lane Cassarly bounced into a forceout, Jackson Winterburn walked to load the bases before Adrian Gonsman punched a two-run single to right field to score both Bongiorno and Cassarly and give J&P Auto Mart a 7-4 lead.

J&P Auto Mart manager Josh Pike, whose team finished the tournament with a 2-2 record, saluted his pitching staff for a brave effort over the final two days of the tournament.

"It was a great game tonight,'' Pike said. "We were running on fumes. Our pitchers who pitched in our last three games -- Marcello Bongiorno, (Monday's starter) Jack Roland, and Liam McDowell -- hadn't pitched all year, and they all gave great efforts. I'm so proud of all of our kids, and congratulations to the Cumming Motors team. They never give up. Whether they're ahead 10-0 or down 10-0, they never quit.''

Robley drove in three runs and Blake Lewis and Wharton -- who pitched five-plus strong innings -- knocked in two runs apiece for Cumming Motors, while Wasovich, Wentz and Gonsman had two RBIs apiece for J&P Auto.

Cumming Motors accomplished nine stolen bases, while J&P Auto Mart runners stole five bases.

It was the first year in the league for this Cumming Motors team, and its players and coaches appreciated the opportunity to become involved this year.

"We really had to earn this against a good team tonight,'' Brent Lewis said. "We were treated well in this league all year, there was good baseball, good competition, and all of the games were fun.''

Individual league awards were announced following Monday's game. Along with Wasovich being named the league MVP, the league's Presidential Award for Sportsman's Performance was presented to both Brown of Cumming Motors and Logan Hatfield of the Locker Room team. Another Locker Room player, Chase Giger, was presented with a Sportsmanship Award.

J.P. AUTO (7): Pike 3b 232, Wasovich ss 422, Wentz cf 400, Bongiorno 1b 310, Roland dp 100, Cassarly rf 310, Winterburn c 200, Gonsman 2b 201, McDowell eh 201, Romine lf 300 . Totals -- 26-7-6 .

CUMMING MOTORS (9): Wharton p-ss 402, Brown ss-2b 411, Pardee 3b-p 411, Robley 2b-p-3b 301, Kosicki lf 210, Kline cf 321, Bl. Lewis c 322, Br. Lewis 1b 200, Thomas rf 100, Link rf 211, Sowers eh 210. Totals --30-9-9 .

SCORE BY INNINGS

J.P. Auto 201 004 0--7 6 3

Cumming Motors 030 104 X--9 9 1

2B--Brown, Robley. 3B--Wasovich. RBI--Robley 3, Wharton 2, Bl. Lewis 2, Brown, Pardee, Wasovich 2, Wentz 2, Gonsman 2. 2B–Brown, Robley. 3B–Wasovich. SB–Pike 3, Wasovich, Cassarly, Kosicki 2, Kline 2, Sowers 2, Bl. Lewis, Br. Lewis, Link. WP--Pardee. LP--McDowell. SO--Roland 4, McDowell 1, Wharton 2, Pardee 1. BB--Roland 4, McDowell 2,Wharton 2, Robley 3, Pardee 2 .

Umpires: Chris Perino (plate); Brian Bell (bases).

Records: Cummings (3-0), J.P. Auto (2-2).

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