CHATHAM — The Columbia Clippers 10U overcame an early deficit with three runs in the third and three more in the fourth en route to an 8-5 victory over the Devil Cats 10U in Monday’s travel baseball game.
The Clippers (16-6) plated their first run in the second inning when Jayden Brantley singled, stole second and came in to score on two passed balls.
The Devils Cats scored single runs in the first and second to take a 2-1 lead, but the Clippers came up with three in the top of the third to surge ahead for good. Otto Semp started the inning off with a base hit and Gavin Frederick walked. Amarion Perry reached on an infield error, scoring Semp.
An infield ground out by Evan Conte chased home Frederick and Perry came in on a wild pitch to make it a 4-2 game.
The Devil Cats got a run back in the bottom of the third to pull to within 4-3, but the Clippers came right back with three more in the top of the fourth.
Logan Burleigh walk to lead off the Clippers’ fourth and Tanner Kelly singled, putting runners on the corner with no outs. After Kelly stole second, Burleigh scored on a wild pitch and Kelly came in on an error.
Later in the inning, with two outs, Braeden Barnes singled, stole second and scored on Ty Garson’s base hit.
The Devil Cats narrowed the gap to 7-5 with single runs in the fourth and fifth, but the Clippers added an insurance run in the sixth when Brantley walked, stole second, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
Reliever Mason Briscoe retired the Devil Cats in the bottom of the sixth to clinch the victory.
Barnes finished with two singles for the Clippers, Garson had a single and an RBI, Brantley, Kelly and Semp all singled and Perry and Evan Conte each drove in a run.
Conte (3k,2bb,2r,2h), Perry (1k,3bb,2r,1h) and Briscoe (2k,1r,1h) all pitched for the Clippers.
LITTLE LEAGUE
NoCol 10U 5, Catskill 0
The Northern Columbia 10U All Stars traveled to Catskill Monday and came away with a 5-0 victory to improve to 2-1 in the five-team District 15 Tournament.
Keegan Mullins and Evan Shull combined to throw a four-hit shutout.
Mullins went 4+ innings, giving up three hits and four walks while striking out nine. Shull came on in relief, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out five in two innings of work.
At the plate, Shull went 2-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. Mullins went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run and Gabe Yusko went 3 for 3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored.
Elijah Craig had a strong game at catcher, throwing out two base runners while going 2 for 2 at the plate and driving in a run. Anthony Pelizza reached on a walk and scored the final run.
Northern Columbia returns to action on Wednesday and Friday with games in Kinderhook.