david.royal@daily-tribune.com
The Indians showed their offensive muscle -- mustering 16 runs on 19 hits -- and defensive stinginess to claim the Cartersville Little League baseball title Thursday night, 16-2.
Bailey Campbell scattered five hits and allowed just two runs over three and two-thirds innings in the game shortened by the run-rule.
Head coach Richard Daniel said the hitting by the Indians really came on during the playoffs and put his team in position to win the championship. "We just hit the ball well at every position and that took the pressure off our pitching. Then our pitchers did a good job and put the pressure on their hitters."
He said that was especially true Thursday, when the Indians came back from a 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the first to go up 3-1.
Daniel said Campbell struck out a ton of Phillies and took the pressure off his offense. He noted the Indian pitchers whiffed 11 -- including 10 by Campbell. "That's a lot of strikeouts in so short a time. Bailey did a great job for us."
He said it kept his other pitchers resting their arms Thursday night, and noted Daniel was ready when he was called on to face what proved to be the final batter. "He gave us four great pitches."
The Phillies appeared to mean business early in the contest as Jake Hacker opened up with a single, then went to third when Khase Willis singled and a throw to first attempting to get him out got well past the first baseman.
Hacker crossed home plate on a wild pitch, and the Phillies were up 1-0.
Campbell, who had struck out one, gave up a second hit then struck out the final two batters to slam the door on further scoring by the Phillies in the inning.
Daniel, the leadoff hitter for the Indians, coaxed a walk out of Hacker, advanced to second when Campbell was hit by a pitch, to third on a wild pitch and went home on a two-RBI double by Dax Edwards.
Campbell and Edwards quickly followed him home and the Indians were up 3-1.
The Phillies failed to answer the runs in the second inning, recording three strikeouts in four at-bats. The Indians, however, were just getting untracked, as they rapped out nine hits, scoring seven runs, to take command, 10-1.
The Indians added to their lead in the bottom of the third, scoring six runs, to end their scoring at 16-1.
The Phillies' Jake Norris tacked on a run in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Hacker, and the game was ended by the run-rule.
Daniel said the win was big for the Indians, and they played hard for it. "We made some mistakes but we were able to overcome them. I'm just so proud of them."
He said the team also had a inspirational motivator.
"Before and after every game, we said 1-2-3-4 Lucas," he said.
The Indians dedicated their season to Lucas Lane, who wears No. 4, because Lane is undergoing chemotherapy treatment and could not play this year.
Lucas, whose No. 4 was stitched on each team uniform, however, attended practices and many games. He placed the championship medallions around each member of the winning team.
"Lucas and Noah [Daniel], my son, have been Indians the longest of anyone on the team," he added.
Leading the way offensively for the Indians with doubles were Edwards, Daniel (two), Campbell and Thacker Lively.
Daniel scored three runs; Campbell, two; Edwards, two; and Lively, two. Hunter James, Harrison Heath, Alan Thacker, Jordan Vinall, Jacob Gambill, Ian Inaba and Brendon Walker had one each.