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Fort Scott 11-year-olds finish third at State tourney
PEABODY -- Fort Scott's team finished in third place at the Cal Ripken Baseball Kansas 11-year-old State Tournament here Monday night after beating Parsons, 9-1, in the third-place game.
Fort Scott was 2-1 in pool play over the weekend before losing to Ottawa, the defending champion, in the semifinals. Ottawa went on to repeat as champs with a 7-6 win over Wellington.
An All-Tournament Team was named with locals Joe Doherty and Mason Knopp making the list. Head coach Don Doherty was named an All-Tournament Coach.
A look at the tournament, game by game:
Friday: Fort Scott 12, Peabody 1.
Knopp threw a no-hitter, striking out 12 batters and also hit a home run himself as he won the game's Most Valuable Player Award.
Knopp's home run came in the first inning with Doherty on base after he singled. Later in that inning, Adam Deloney drove in Wyatt Reehl with a fielder's choice to make it 3-0.
Six runs went up in the second inning as Fort Scott had four hits. Three more runs were posted in the third as Knopp doubled in two.
Reehl was the winner of the WOW Award for this game. The WOW Award was given to a player from each team in every game for making an outstanding play. A player from each team was also MVP in every game.
Doherty went four for four at the plate for Fort Scott.
Saturday: Fort Scott 16, Rose Hill 12.
Fort Scott led 12-2 at one point before Rose Hill began to fight back, getting within 12-9.
Knopp, who scored three runs, may have taken the wind out of Rose Hill's sails when he got a hit when they were trying to give him an intentional walk. That hit drove in two runs to make it 14-9.
John Hughes hit a home run and had another hit as he was named Fort Scott's MVP. Doherty was four for four again, giving him an eight-for-eight start in the tournament. Ajele Smith scored four runs and Reehl had three hits and won another WOW Award.
Sunday: Wellington 12, Fort Scott 2.
Deloney had two hits for Fort Scott and was named MVP. Hughes won the WOW Award.
Fort Scott had a 2-0 lead early but hit a lot of line drives right at Wellington players.
Fort Scott finished second in the pool behind Wellington and advanced to Monday's semifinal round to face Ottawa. Wellington advanced to face Parsons, which finished second in the other pool.
Monday: Ottawa 6, Fort Scott 4.
Reehl's double gave Fort Scott an early 2-0 lead. Meanwhile, Knopp was pitching shutout ball until some pain in his pitching arm forced him to leave the mound in the top of the third inning. Ottawa took advantage and scored three runs to take the lead.
Ottawa scored three times in the top of the sixth to make its lead 6-3. Ryan Pickert, Connor Antonetti and Smith all drew walks to lead off the bottom of the sixth as Fort Scott looked to rally.
Doherty walked with the bases loaded to bring in Pickert. Knopp came up and hit a line drive deep to center field. It was reported that the Ottawa center fielder made a great catch, then threw back to double off run of the baserunners for a double play.
Knopp was MVP in this game and Smith was the WOW winner.
Monday: Fort Scott 9, Parsons 1.
Parsons, which lost to Wellington, 10-8, in the other semifinal, was held to just five hits by Fort Scott's pitching, even though it was said they were one of the better-hitting teams in the tournament.
Fort Scott scored four times in the third inning. Doherty doubled in Drew Martin and Smith with a double. Knopp was hit by a pitch, then Reehl singled in Doherty and Knopp.
In the fourth, Smith drew a walk then Doherty singled and Knopp walked. Hughes then followed with a three-run double. DeLoney drew a walk and Hughes scored on Jones' groundout.
In the fifth, Doherty singled, stole second and scored on Knopp's single.
Knopp was MVP and Reehl won the WOW Award.
This team was district champion, third in the state and also won the Sportsmanship Award at the State Tournament.
Some stats:
* Doherty reached base 15 times in 20 plate appearances with 13 hits in 19 at-bats (.684).
* Knopp reached base 15 times with nine hits in 13 at-bats (.692).
* Smith scored eight runs in the tournament.
* Deloney had seven hits in the tourney.
* Ethan Hale batted .333.
* Antonetti had an on-base percentage of over .400.