Krentzmans wins Major League title game

By rscaife
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Updated: June 15, 2018

MAITLAND – It was twice as for the Krentzmans team Thursday as they celebrated its second title in a row.
Krentzmans Xavier Smith had the hot bat Thursday night in the team’s Cal Ripken Super Series championship game against TJs blasting two 2-run home runs and plating four RBIs.
Teamed up with some strong pitching and good patience at the plate, Krentzmans came out victorious at Maitland field to capture the title.
However, it wasn’t an easy one as for the second game in a row, TJs rallied back to make it an 11-8 decision.
Along with Smith, teammate Tye Plank also has multiple hits in the contest. Both finished with two hits each.
TJs also got strong offensive performances by Farrell Souders as he had two hits and scored three times. Teammate Jaden King produced 3 RBIs in his times at bat, posting a single and an RBI sacrifice fly.
But when it came to crunch time, Krentzmans relief pitcher John Paul Pannizzo was cool under pressure striking out 3-of-4 of the batters he faced in the last inning to close it down for the victory.
“The kids have worked hard all year and we try to tell them to stay even keel. Things happen. Just keep coming back and if your not making a play on the field make it at the plate and that’s what they did,” Krentzmans coach John Pannizzo said. “Every kid contributed one way of the other tonight.”
TJs led off the contest taking the early lead.
In the first, Souders got the game off and going while taking one for the team as he was hit by a pitch.
Gavin Knode moved Souders up to second with a single.
Ryan Hine also was plunked and loaded the bases for King.
King hit a long fly ball that allowed Souders to score easily, giving him an RBI on a The sac fly.
Defensively, Krentzmans would shit it down the rest of the inning, making it just a 1-0 ball game.
Krentzmans exploded for five runs in the first inning, to pull out ahead of their opponents in the bottom of the inning.
Tye Plank, who scored three times, singled to lead things off.
With one pitch, Xavier Smith put his team on top 2-1 with the 2-run home run.
Pannizzo followed with a single of his own.
Jayden Smith hustled out a miscue by TJs. Pannizzo hustled around and scored as well.
Smith took advantage of the error and went on to steal third and then score on a wild pitch, upping it to 4-1.
Chris Moon kept things going a he doubled to left and later scored on a double by Avery Aurand, ending the Krentzmans inning. When the dust settled the group sent all nine players to the plate.
After keeping TJs scoreless in the second, Plank reached a second time, this time as a walk.
Smith followed with a walk as did Pannizzo, loading the bases.
Jayden Smith’s fielders choice brought home Plank.
Evan Hosterman’s single brought in Xavier Smith, giving them a 7-1 advantage.
TJs battled back in the third, plating two runs.
Souders starting things off by singling to right.
Ryan Hine doubles, putting both runners in scoring position.
King brought both in with a 2-RBI single, cutting it to 7-3.
But Xavier Smith would take the two runs back as he blasted a second 2-run homer with Plank on again, upping it to 9-3.
Krentzmans would get to an 11-3 advantage as the teams headed into the fifth.
But TJs made the most of four miscues by Krentzmans to get back into it, trailing only 11-8 going into their last at bats.
“They are a great group of kids. All season long from day 1 we asked them and challenged them to get better every day, with every practice and every game. I believe they did that. We had a lot of close games,” TJs coach Josh Snook said. “They played great this year and I’m proud of them.”
Pannizzo has his pitches working in the sixth as he struck the first two batters before walking one.
Then he struck out the last batter he faced to help give his team the victory, once again.