MABA Senior Babe squad eliminated at regional

By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer

CHARLESTON, Mo. — The MABA Senior Babe Ruth Pirates committed five errors after falling into an early deficit and on Sunday morning, and were eliminated from Midwest Plains regional action with a 10-4 loss to Burnsville, Minn. at Hillhouse Park in Charleston.

The Minnesota state champions capitalized on a misplay in center field and received a RBI single from Tony Meier to quickly build a 3-0 lead against MABA starter Ethan Sitton, who took the mound on limited rest.

MABA answered with two runs on four consecutive hits to start the bottom of the first inning, as Kyle Nettles and Matt Kemp collected RBI doubles after Andy Reed and Ryan Calvird singled.

Burnsville pitcher Matt McKenny persevered through the rocky start, and worked past five walks for the complete-game win, allowing just three hits after the opening frame.

Sitton escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second, but Burnsville erupted for five tallies after two walks and a hit batsman sparked a rally in the fourth. Willie Sawyer delivered a key two-run single after a sacrifice fly by Meier.

McKenny increased the margin with a two-run double off reliever Josh Akers in the fifth, and matched Meier and Sawyer by finishing 2-for-4 overall. Burnsville sent 39 batters to the plate without striking out.

Nettles completed a 2-for-3 performance for MABA with a RBI infield hit in the fourth, and Kemp blasted a long home run to left field in the seventh, capping a 2-for-4 day. Akers added a single and Travis Brotherton walked three times in defeat.

MABA Pirates 12, Centennial (CO) 1

CHARLESTON, Mo. — The MABA Pirates scored five runs during the second and third innings, and extended their season on Saturday with an abbreviated 12-1 triumph over the Colorado state champions.

John Schnurbusch scattered three hits for the win. MABA received 12 walks over the five innings and finished with five hits overall, as Ryan Calvird went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI to pace the offense.

Trevor Kean, Matt Kemp and Josh Akers added singles, and Andy Reed scored three runs for MABA.

Albia (IA) 5, MABA Pirates 1

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Opening-round action at the Senior Babe Ruth Midwest Plains regional commenced on Friday with the MABA Pirates suffering a 5-1 setback against the Iowa state champions.

MABA collected seven hits overall and committed three defensive errors. Ethan Sitton struck out four in the loss and had a single at the plate.

The other hits for MABA belonged to Kyle Nettles, Matt Kemp, Jake Gidden, Andrew Reed, Trevor Kean and Travis Brotherton.