Happy Scrappers rally for league tourney title

The Parker Scrappers pose with their Minors League tournament first-place trophy (above) after rallying for a 7-4 win at Felling Field Thursday night. Parker players (not all listed as pictured) are Jacob Barber, Bronson Frazier, Leelan Jobe, Ty Junker, Tristian Keith, Lance Koenig, Laken Monzon, Kale Sattler, Blake Steinmetz and Caleb Tucker. Coaches are Wes Burkert, Carl Koenig and Kolton Stone. Both the runner-up Bortner Pioneer Seed Tin Caps and Parker Scrappers got to perform the traditional slide across home plate (below) before receiving their medals. McCook Midget League baseball action continues with Majors tournament through its title finale Wednesday night at Felling Field and the July 8 All-Star Game.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

FELLING FIELD — Their first six batters struck out and nine of 10 went down without a hit Thursday night.

A Parker Scrappers coach was chasing down more wild warm-up pitches than hitters putting the ball into play.

They fell behind Bortner Pioneer Seed Tin Caps, 4-0, and still trailed 4-1 with three outs remaining in this Minors League championship game at Felling Field.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

Yet the Scrappers never lost as faith as a coach told relief pitcher Kale Sattler “you’re ready.”

Oh yes, they were all ready. Ready to deliver a last rally that would light up every Parker player, parent and fan like early Fourth of July firecrackers.

Caleb Tucker’s infield single lit the fuse. Tristian Keith walked, then a strikeout followed by another walk for Lakin Monzon that loaded those bases.

Ty Junker appeared to be out No. 2 until a throw barely pulled the Bortner first baseman off his bag while Tucker touched home to make it 4-2.

Lee Davidson delivered his 13th strikeout to move the Tin Caps one out from a title. They’d already captured the regular-season trophy last week.

“We gave them (the Tin Caps) their only loss though,” a Scrappers coach mentioned about the 7-5 Scrappers victory on May 13.

In other words, they still believed as Kale Sattler stepped into the batter’s box.

Rylee Eaton relieved since Davidson had already thrown 77 pitchers. L.D. walked two and surrendered a Sattler RBI-double during the previous inning so Scrappers appeared to be breaking through

Eaton appeared ready for the stopper role. He threw two strikes to Steinmitz and a third was foul tipped.

However, Steinmitz kept battling like a true Scrapper. He worked the count even ...then full ...then drew a bases-loaded RBI-walk to score Keith and make it 4-3.

The College World Series title games were nowhere close as this.

Unlike Big Ten Michigan, the Scrappers simply would not be denied especially with Sattler hitting again.

BOOM! He ripped a 2-0 pitch far over the closest Tin Cap outfielder.

Monzon scored, Junker happily dashed home as did Steinmetz.

When the ball was bobbled just enough, Sattler rumbled into score and finish the Scrappers’ comeback.

Yet the title game wasn’t finished because Tin Caps still had their final at-bats.

Davidson drilled a one-out single, but no more Bortner hits would be put in play.

That’s because Sattler got the next batters looking at called third strikes — and Parker Scrappers could now really celebrate their championship.

All the winning players and coaches are featured in photo at left.

Sattler’s two hits and five RBIs led the champs. He struck out six in three innings of relief after Junker fanned six during the first two frames.

Jackson Hartwell scored two runs to lead the Tin Caps with Davdison ripping two hits.

Caleb Sughroue scored another run and Eaton drew walks.

The Tin Caps still posted a 9-2 final record to go with their regular-season title.

Other team members were Israel Dudash, Jackson Gillen, Ian Spearman, Quinton Meyers, Tripp Floyd and Oliver Wilcox.