Rush capture Ripken Minor crown

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

PARK HILLS - The Rush, a conglomerate team of players from different communities, used their bat in settling which team should claim first-place in the 10-year-old league. The Rush defeated the Park Hills Expos to take sole possession of the honor with an 11-3 win in their first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.

The win put the Rush (10-1) two games ahead of the Expos (8-3) with only the nightcap still to be played. (The second game was too late for Sunday’s deadline.)

 Trae Robinson threw five innings for the Rush to claim the win. Robinson struck out seven Expo batters and gave up only six hits. After a lead-off walk, Briley Smith closed out the sixth inning for the Rush in a one-two-three manner.

The Rush scored in all but the second inning. The Expos were limited to scoring in only the  fifth inning by Robinson.

A base hit by Smith to start the game with a bunt was backed up by a double from Dillon Manion for the first run. Manion was able to score two outs later on the first of eight errors made by the Expos.

Smith singled again in the third and scored again, this time on a wild pitch, the first of five Rush runners to do so. The Rush added singles by Manion and Jared Jones in the inning, but both batters were cut down on the basepaths on fielder-choice ground balls.

Four of the Expos’ errors came in the fourth inning allowing the Rush to score three more runs with only Jones managing an RBI single in the inning. Robinson led off with single that got past the outfielder and he was able to round the bases before the ball was retrieved.

As the temperature began to take toll on both pitchers, the Rush were granted four walks in the top of the fifth to score two more runs and hold an 8-0 lead.

The Expos made some noise in their half of the fifth. A lead-off single by Cody Manion got the ball rolling. Manion advanced on a wild pitch and after Tanner Smith worked a free base, they both ,moved up another base on a second pitch in the dirt.

Jake Hill made the Rush pay for their mistakes with a two-RBI single, and Hill would score himself, sliding in safely on yet another errant pitch. The Rush cut the rally short with their second 1-6-3 double play of the game.

Singles by Jones, and Holden Mayberry helped the Rush score their final three runs in the top of the sixth.

Rush  201 323 - 11  9  1

Expos  000 030 - 3  6  7

WP- Robinson 5i 3r 6h 7k 3bb.

Hitting:

Rush - Jones 3-4, D. Manion 2-3, B. Smith 2-4, Mayberry 1-3, Robinson 1-3. 2b- D. Manion.

Expos - T, Jones 2-3, J. Jones 1-1, C. Manion 1-2, L. Manion 1-3, Wagner 1-3.