Four two-out hits fueled a five-run second inning for Virginia on Thursday in a 7-1 win over Hazel Dell Metro at the Babe Ruth Baseball World Series for 14-year-olds at Pine Bluff, Ark.
The result means Metro must win two games on Friday to reach Saturday’s World Series championship game.
HDM will first play a quarterfinal game at 8 a.m. PDT against White Hall, Ark. Win that and Metro will advance to the semifinals against Atlantic Shore, N.J. at 3 p.m. PDT.
Hazel Dell Metro finished 3-2 in pool play. Gainesville-Haymarket, Va., the Southeast Region champion, was 5-0 and is into the semifinals as the pool winner.
With two on and two out, Blaze O’Saben hit a two-run double to put Gainesville-Haymarket up 2-1. Cole Western, Jack Velardi and Harrison Whitt then followed with base hits. The inning also included a pair of walks and a couple of throws that allowed Virginia base runners advance.
Hazel Dell Metro had runners on base in every inning except the seventh. But its only run came in the bottom of the first when Jasper Rank walked and scored on a fielder’s choice play. HDM left the bases loaded in the first.
Hazel Dell Metro outhit the Virginia team 7-5, with Alex Miller and Isaiah Rupp each going 2 for 3. Andrew Hensley had a double for HDM, but was then picked off of second base.
“We had some balls that were hit hard today that were right at them, and their defense made some good plays,” Metro coach Scott Binder said.
Four of the five runs in the second inning for Gainesville-Haymarket were earned as starting pitcher Sam Lauderdale took the loss.
