Stewart Signs came into the 11- to 12-year-old Pike County Youth Sports baseball championship on a two-game losing streak and trailed Coca-Cola 5-0 after one inning in the finals at Edgewood Park Tuesday. However, Stewart Signs came back to win 9-6 in seven innings.
The championship was scheduled to be six innings, but the two teams were tied 6-6 at the end of regulation and went into extra innings.
Stewart Signs head coach Adam Price said his team gained confidence in the later inning, especially at the plate, and came back with heart and will.
“Resiliency, that’s what I told them,” Price said. “Regardless of that outcome, even if we lost that ballgame, I couldn’t have been more proud of them — whatever the result was. It’s just a good feeling.”
Stewart Signs won the American League championship, while Coca-Cola was the National League champion.
Stewart Signs (11-2) cut Coca-Cola’s lead to 5-3 after five innings, but put together a three-run top of the sixth to go ahead 6-5.
Dylan Dean walked for Stewart Signs in the sixth, stole second base and scored on a Whit Price single. Price scored on a Wil’Tayvious Herbert single to tie things up. Herbert came home on a wild pitch for the third run of the inning.
Coca-Cola (8-6) scored in the bottom of the sixth to tie things up at 6-6 and send the game into extra innings.
Brady Byrd walked to open the inning for Coca-Cola and Alex Perry followed with a single. Trace Ramshur reached on a fielder’s choice forcing Byrd out at third. Ethan Greer reached on a fielder’s choice scoring Perry from second base to tie the game.
Stewart Signs opened with the top of the order in the seventh inning and took advantage with three runs.
Tayden Bass and Peyton Badon walked and scored. Dean hit a one-run single and scored on a Whit Price one-run single to complete the rally.
“It was a hard-fought game,” Coca-Cola head coach Russell Byrd said. “We made a few errors, but the boys played hard. Questionable calls here and there, but we didn’t do what we needed to do. Great group of kids on both sides. They’ll be playing ball for a while now. It’s been a good season.”
Badon pitched the first six innings for Stewart Signs, while Whit Price came in for the save in the seventh.
Badon gave up six runs, but five of them came in the bottom of the first.
Jaelon Kapler singled for Coca-Cola, stole second base and scored on a Ramshur infield single. Brady Byrd also singled and stole second base and scored on a Greer infield single. Perry, who also reached on an infield single, and Ramshur scored on a two-run Tyler Digiovanni two-run double. Greer scored on a Kadarrius Powell groundout RBI.
Ramshur pitched the first four innings for Coca-Cola, giving up three runs, while Perry went the final three innings.
“I have the utmost respect for that team, Coca-Cola,” Adam Price said. “They battled and battled and battled. It was a game that you hate to see anybody lose. I know it’s cliché, but the championship game should be a battle. That’s what everybody got to see tonight.”
Stewart Signs scored its first run in the top of the second as Kaden Iupe walked and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Beau Williams.
Whit Price singled in the top of the third and scored on a Jacob Miller infield single. Iupe also singled during the inning and scored on a wild pitch.
Mike Boggs, president of Pike County Youth Sports, clarified confusion about why a rained-out game between Stewart Signs and Quality Rental was not made up. If the game was played, it could have impacted the standings, he said.
“The coaches took a poll two weeks ago,” Boggs said. “They voted on it not to make the games up.”
