Mineral Area defeats host team in World Series opener

By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer

ABBEVILLE, La. - Two runs in the first inning marked a positive start on Friday night for the 10-year-old MACRBA All-Stars, who claimed a 6-3 victory over host Abbeville, Louisiana in the opening round of World Series play.

Logan Winder finished 3-for-4 with two RBI while earning Player of the Game honors, and Jake Bridges went 2-for-3 with two runs scored from the lead-off spot to pace the MACRBA, which outhit Abbeville 7-3 overall.

Starting hurler Brandt Busenbark worked two different stints on the mound, compiling 5 1/3 shutout innings with five strikeouts and only two hits allowed for the win.

Winder opened the scoring with a RBI double after Bridges began the action with a single to center field. A wild pitch from Emile Trahan allowed Winder to score for a 2-0 lead.

The Missouri state and Midwest Plains regional champions struck for an unearned tally in the third when Drew Harlow delivered a two-out RBI hit, then increased the lead with two runs in the fourth.

Following a lead-off walk to Brayden Krause, Brennan White ripped a RBI double and alertly reached third base on a play at the plate. Andres Castro made it 5-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Busenbark stepped back atop the hill after Abbeville scored three runs on four walks against the MABA bullpen in the fourth, and escaped further danger when Luis Martinez was thrown out at home plate during an attempted double steal.

Busenbark left the potential tying runs on base after issuing two walks in the Abbeville fifth, then closed the outing with a perfect sixth that included two strikeouts.

MACRBA, which advanced to face an opponent from either North Carolina or Connecticut on Sunday, picked up an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Winder followed a pair of two-out walks with a RBI single.

Trahan had a strong 2-for-2 performance plus a walk for Abbeville, which wasted a lead-off single from its pitcher despite in the opening frame. Trahan tripled with one out in the third, but was again stranded by Busenbark.

Jacob Sagrera added a RBI double for the host squad.