Taney stumbles but still in the game
Taney Little League team falls to Colonie (N.Y.) but has already secured a spot in the Mid-Atlantic Region semifinals.
BRISTOL, Conn. - Taney Youth Baseball Association received a gentle reminder from Colonie (N.Y) Little League: The road to Williamsport isn't an easy one.
Taney was handed its first loss of the Mid-Atlantic Regional by Colonie, 5-3, last night at Breen Field at the A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center. After rolling past Delaware and Maryland, Taney was dealt its first bit of adversity since losing the second game of the Pennsylvania state championship last month.
"We will see how they respond - I think they're going to respond well," said Taney manager Alex Rice. "I think they're going to respond tomorrow night and from here on out."
Taney will play Northwest Washington (D.C.) tonight at 7 p.m. Already guaranteed a spot in Friday's semifinals, a win tonight would put Taney, at 3-1, in pool play. That record could loom large if Taney hopes to avoid assumed top seed Toms River (N.J.) in the semis.
Taney starting pitcher Joe Richardson cruised through his first two plus innings of work against Colonie (2-2). The righthander struck out six in a row at one point, including striking out the side in a nine-pitch second inning.
Taney's bats came to life in the second, spotting Richardson a three-run advantage. Zion Spearman led off with a single before back-to-back RBI doubles from Jack Rice (the coach's son) and Richardson plated a pair. Carter Davis capped off the rally with an RBI double of his own and Taney had a sizable lead with Richardson dealing on the mound.
However, Richardson lost his control in the third, issuing back-to-back walks before giving up a three-run home run to Colonie's Jakob Lemperle.
"[Richardson] wasn't far off the zone and to a dangerous hitter he missed his spot," Alex Rice said. "One hit and it's a tie ballgame."
The home run was the only hit allowed by Richardson (six strikeouts, three walks, three earned runs, 50 pitches).
In the fifth Lemperle struck again, driving in a run with an RBI double off Jack Rice and eventually scoring himself on a passed ball, giving New York a 5-3 lead.
The two-run edge was more than enough for Colonie starting pitcher Zane Nelsen, who settled down after a rough start. The lefty threw 89 pitches in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking just one. Nelsen allowed only two Taney batters to reach base after the second inning.
"Maybe we were forcing a little bit, trying to do too much," said Alex Rice. "Instead of letting the game come to them, they were pressing a little bit; it happens."
Taney is right back at it tonight in the final day of pool play. Once pool play ends, Rice says he'll have a better idea of how he wants to set up his pitching heading into the knockout round. A win on Friday would mean Taney would play in the regional final on Sunday night with a chance to represent the Mid-Atlantic in Williamsport in the Little League World Series. Advancing from the regional is a difficult task for any team, not to mention a Taney team that has only been Little League-affiliated for 2 years. Last night Taney was reminded just how hard this tournament can be.
"Coming into these games they have to know every one of these games we can lose,'' Alex Rice said. "These are all state champion teams. They know it, we were just a little flat tonight."