LENEXA, Kan. – The Mid-Mo Warriors, comprised of baseball players from the area, finished eighth among 40 teams this past weekend at the USSSA 10-and-under AA Regional World Series.
Highlights for the Warriors, who were seeded first after pool play by allowing the fewest runs and winning all three games by the eight-run rule, included an 8-7 victory Friday afternoon against the Blue Valley Red Sox. They were the Kansas state champions and earlier in July defeated the Olathe Pirates, who won the regional. The Warriors also defeated the KC Braves, who placed fourth overall, 11-3 in pool play.
After the Warriors lost their opening game 8-2 to Warrensburg in tournament play, Whitley Welch (Houston) completed a come-from-behind victory with a game-winning single that scored Andrew Meier (Dixon) for a 7-6 Warriors victory.
Meier hit a two-run homer in the second inning as the Warriors slowly began to erase a 6-2 deficit. They scored once in the fourth and two times in the fifth to trail by a single run entering the bottom of the sixth.
Gus Hunninghake (Houston) started the game-winning rally with a two-out double to center field. After Meier was intentionally walked, Austin Satterfield (Licking) singled down the first-base line to score Hunninghake. Welch followed with a single to bring home the go-ahead run.
Houston brothers Stetson and Whitley Welch combined for four innings in relief of starter Dillon Smith (Licking).
Brad Johnson’s (Houston) running catch in the top of the sixth was the defensive highlight for the Warriors.
On Saturday, the Warriors feverishly rallied from an early 10-3 deficit before losing a 14-12 heartbreaker to the Springfield Titans.
The Warriors scored seven times in the third inning to tie it but fell behind 14-10 when Springfield scored four times in the top of the fifth. With the two-hour time limit running out – regulation games are six innings – the Warriors had one last at-bat in the botom of the fifth to tie the game.
Stetson Welch pulled the Warriors within striking distance with a single down the third-base line to score Meier and Whitley Welch. Stetson Welch stole second base on the first pitch to Dillon Cooper, who eventually lined out to center field.
Austin Satterfield kept the Warriors close after the Titans took a big early advantage with his token knuckle ball that kept the opponent guessing. The Titans eventually finished third.
The Warriors were coached by Jared Satterfield, the team’s head coach, Jeff Hunninghake and Joe Cooper. Team members were: Stetson and Whitley Welch, Johnson and Gus Hunninghake, Houston; Satterfield, Dillon Smith, Brady Smith and Gage Atchley, Licking; Dylan Cooper, Summersville; and Meier, Dixon.