With a crowd estimated to be over 2,000 people, Bay City SW defeated Midland NE by a score of 3-2 in an extra inning battle between the two remaining teams of the Michigan State Little League State tournament. With Midland only about 20 miles from Bay City and a 6:00 PM game start, we all expected the crowd to be big, but not this big. To give you an idea of what this means in Little League terms, at each game there is a 50/50 drawing with the winner splitting with the league. For most games the winner got about $80 (of $160 collected). In the Semi-Final game between Bay City SW and Georgetown the winner took home about $750 which at the time, we thought was huge. But with this size crowd, the winner took home over $1500! We even had three television stations filming the action along with two newspapers and photographers. There were painted faces and bodies with the words "Southwest" with each letter spelled out in white paint on a nine blue painted bodies. Simply an amazing night.

While this may have been the Championship game, it went as so many have for Bay City SW. They an early lead in the top of the first inning 1-0 with Midland NE pitcher Damon Walters striking out lead off hitter Seth Freed but then gave up a walk to Brendan Taberski, a single to Scott Badour, another walk to Jacob Alarie and the one run RBI single to Hayden Clements.

In the bottom half of the first, Walters hit a lead off single, advanced to second on a steal and moved to third on another single by Jonathon Hentschel. Hentschel tried to steal second but was thrown out by Bay City's catcher Seth Freed. Walters was stranded on third when Bay City's pitcher Scott Badour retired the next two batters. The key to the inning? Walters threw 30 pitches and Badour only 15. As I've seen in other games, it's the team that makes the best use of the 85 pitch count rule that usually has the advantage. More on that later.

Midland NE tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when Elliot Digison got on first due to a throwing error, advanced to second on a steal and moved to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a single by Jonathon Hentschel.

The score remained tied 1-1 until the fifth inning when both Bay City SW and Midland NE each scored another run and the score went to 2-2. This was truly a Championship game.

Then the Pitch Count rule came into play. Going into the top of the sixth with Bay City SW coming to bat, Midland NE pitcher Walters had to leave the game at 86 pitches (a pitcher can finish throwing to a batter and exceed the 85 count). With a new pitcher on the mound, Scott Badour lead off with a double and moved to third on a single by Jacob Alarie. He then scored on another single by Hayden Clements and Bay City SW took the lead 3-2.

Justin Gorr took over for Scott Badour in the bottom of the seventh with Badour leaving the game with 88 pitches. Gorr struck out the lead off batter and then hit a Ryan Mangapora and Midland NE had a man on first and had a chance to tie the game. But Mangapora was forced out at second on a fielder's choice for out number two. Then on a 2-2 count, Gorr struck out the last batter and the game was over!

I spoke about using the pitch count to an advantage. From what I've seen thus far, the team that much change pitchers first, definately is at a disadvantage. This is especially true if your number two pitcher pitched in a previous game and is ineligible to come in relief and you must now use your number three or four. I'm not saying this is what happend in this game but when you have the losing pitcher leave in the fifth and the winning pitcher able to stay until the seventh, well, what do you think?

This is the first time in the 56 year history of Bay City SW Little League to advance to the Central Regional tournament in Indianapolis, IN and a chance to advance to the Little League World Series. I'll be traveling down to the Central Region next week to pick up the coverage the Michigan Champion. The will be playing in the Great Lakes pool against the champions from Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana and Wisconsin. We'll keep our fingers crossed that their 11-0 record (district and state games) continues but win or lose, they have had a great ride.