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McKinney Mavericks clinch No. 6 seed at USSSA World Series
Jake Bowerman earned the victory for the McKinney Mavericks in the first of two USSSA World Series round-robin games at Plano’s Carpenter Park Tuesday. Photo: Travis Summers/McKinney Courier-Gazette
By Travis Summers, McKinney Courier-Gazette
The main objective of pool play at the United Sports Specialty Sports Association U-12 AA World Series tournament is to win with the least amount of runs given up.
The McKinney Mavericks accomplished their goal on Tuesday, earning a sixth seed for the bracket round after surrendering only eight runs in two games at Carpenter Park in Plano.
McKinney defeated the Italy Thunder, 9-1, before coming from behind to beat the Altus (Okla.) Renegades, 14-7.
The Mavericks run-ruled the Thunder in three innings in Tuesday’s opener, primarily by using the strike zone to their advantage.
McKinney jumped out to a six-run lead in the first, producing just three singles while five walks fueled the rest of the rally. All but two Maverick runs either got on base or advanced because of a base on balls. Overall, McKinney combined for seven walks in the three-inning contest. Even the ninth and final run on a bases-loaded walk.
“We are constantly working on plate discipline,” Harrell said. “Our kids know not to swing at anything outside the strike zone.”
Beau Talley was the perfect illustration of the Mavericks’ patience at the plate as he didn’t swing at a single pitch in two at bats.
“I was just trying to make sure I got on base,” Talley said. “I want to keep my average up so I wasn’t going to swing at any bad pitches. It’s not fun to strike out, and I wanted to stay in the action.”
First baseman Cole Bryan was the only Maverick player to record two hits. Both of his singles were almost identical grounders up the middle of the infield.
“I want to get a hit every time I go up to bat,” Bryan said. “Hits are a lot more fun than walks.”
Mavericks pitcher Jake Bowerman led the Mavericks’ defensive effort. The crafty southpaw pitched all three innings, limiting the Thunder to one run off three hits while striking out three.
Bowerman was helped out in the first by a diving catch from Chance Hughes.
McKinney liked its chances of a shutout going into the day’s second game against the Renegades with ace pitcher Garrett Albracht getting the start.
But he found early turbulence, allowing the first two Renegade hitters to score. The next pair of innings did not treat Albracht any kinder as the Renegades scored three in the second and two in the third to take a 7-6 lead.
But Albracht would get his revenge in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI double, his second of the game, to drive in Cody Heath. Albracht would later score on a Noah Montgomery single.
“I thought I did pretty good,” Albracht said. “I thought I had a some pretty good hits and the team did good as well during that stretch. Everybody was making solid contact.”
The rally began from perhaps the play of the game after John Repp got caught in a pickle at third base.
Repp forced the Renegade infield to trade the ball in a rundown before making a committed run toward home. Repp leaned his hips to the right just out of the reach of the Renegade’s catcher before stomping his foot on home plate for the game-tying run.
“I thought I had a chance at scoring because I’ve gotten out of a lot of jams like that before,” Repp said. “I think that’s a testament to my flexibility.”
The Mavericks would score three more times, including runs from Albracht, Heath, Hughes and Ryan Hill.
McKinney added another three-run rally in the fifth and final inning as Heath, Hughes, and Hill each crossed the plate.
The Renegade offense was shutdown in the final two innings due to the relief efforts of Talley. The reliever faced only five hitters and hurled two scoreless innings.
“We started the game with a hard-throwing pitcher, and I think the Renegades liked seeing some speed,” Harrell said. “We came back with an off-speed kid with Beau and he did a good job.”
The Mavericks will look to continue their winning ways when they begin the bracket portion of the tournament at 4:30 p.m. today back at Carpenter Park on Field 4.
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