Mountain Region pitcher Gunnar Gaudin celebrates after his team’s 3-2 win over the West Region team on Monday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. Dave Kennedy/Sun-Gazette
At first, it looked like Hawaii would take the lead when a hard ground ball bounced off first baseman Oliver Johnson and was hit so hard with two outs that it would have allowed the runner to score from third base and take the lead.
Instead, second baseman Gunnar Beranek was in the right place at the right time. He backed up the play, stopped the ball and sprinted to first base, putting the runner up one step ahead and keeping the game tied. One inning later, Henderson, Nevada had a 3-2 lead over Hawaii and would advance to face Texas in tonight’s winner-take-all tournament final.
“Any first baseman would say he probably should have gone for it, but a neurotic athlete like Gunner has a tremendous baseball IQ and, frankly, he shouldn’t have been there, but his athleticism and instincts allowed him to go for it. That was a big play because if he hadn’t made it, we would have scored and we would have been down by one instead of tying the game.”
Now Henderson is one win away from advancing to the U.S. Championships on Saturday.
It was no coincidence that Beranek was there to make the play. It was a super play, but it was also one that Henderson had been well prepared for. That play, and many other great plays Henderson made against Hawaii, propelled his team to victory and into Wednesday’s winner’s bracket final.
Brekstin Kamahao Hong of the West Region team attempts to make a play on third base as Mountain Region’s Russell McGee slides safely into the base during a game at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport on Monday afternoon. The Mountain Region team won, 3-2. Dave Kennedy / Sun-Gazette
The defensive drill was a testament not only to Henderson’s talent but also to the team’s work ethic. The Mountain champions played well in key moments multiple times in front of nearly 10,000 fans, and they were only able to do so because they gave it their all when no one was watching.
“We practice situationally, we don’t do too much with runners, but we tell them, especially with this Little League All-Star Tournament format, you can’t just play four games a week and repetitively practice or do certain things,” Johnson said. “So we’re really proud of their ability to practice, and they get it done. Without the effort in practice, it’s all for naught. They believe in each other and the way they practice makes everybody better. You’ve seen the effort from their teammates, so it’s obvious they believe in others.”
Every player put in an effort and Monday’s win was the epitome of the positive performances they’ve had this summer, and their dedication and desire to continually improve will ensure they finish in the top three in the United States.
Henderson has been great defensively all summer, but his play against Hawaii was spectacular. With the game tied going into the sixth inning, the play couldn’t have come at a better time. The outcome could have been different had Henderson not made a string of great plays at every level of the defense.
Combined with Gunnar Gaudin’s stellar pitching and defense, Henderson had everything it took to hand Hawaii its first loss before the U.S. semifinals in just its fourth series appearance since 2010. Gaudin left six runners on base and, like Wyatt Erickson did in the first-round win over New York, could attack hitters and pitch for contact knowing his reliable defense was firmly behind him.
Mountain Region player Luke Lentz hits a ball against the West Region team during a game Monday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The Mountain Region team won, 3-2. Dave Kennedy/Sun-Gazette
“It’s great to have these guys behind us and make all the plays,” Godin said. “No matter what happens, we know they’re going to be there, so it’s great to have these guys behind us.”
Henderson proved his reliability against Hawaii, looking straight ahead and seeing one constant source of power. Catcher Parker Soranaka was the go-to catcher throughout the All-Star Game, keeping the ball in front of him, slowing the game down and making agile plays.
He timed it perfectly again, sealing the win on Monday. The tying runner was on first base when Godin struck out for the fourth time for the second out. The ball hit the ground, but Soranaka knew that with first base open, the batter couldn’t advance and was automatically out.
With the leadoff runner looking uncertain, Soranaka threw to first base for an interception, forcing the runner to advance to second, where first baseman Noah Letal threw to shortstop Russell McGehee, who easily tagged out and gave Henderson its sixth straight win since the regional championship.
“It was really cool to see Parker throw the ball (to first base),” Gaudin said. “It was a great feeling.”
Mountain Region’s Liam Sparks has an RBI against West Region during a game Monday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. Mountain Region won, 3-2. Dave Kennedy/Sun-Gazette
“It gives us confidence knowing that Parker knows how to get the ball down quickly,” Johnson said. “Let’s let our defense do the work and make plays behind them. They made a good bunt and we made the play. I can only speak from a coach’s perspective, but it’s great to see them believe in their team.”
Left fielder Luke Lentz also highlighted the team’s teamwork and defensive prowess in the sixth inning. He made another game-changing play, firing a sharp liner into the gap in left-center field. The left fielder sprinted and raised his glove high to catch the ball, preventing a potential double or triple from the leadoff hitter.
With two batters on the clock, the game was over. Again, the outcome of the game could have been very different if not for the hard-working Henderson who read and executed the play perfectly. This team believed, trusted and did everything right at the right time.
“If we had players that were selfish, we wouldn’t be here,” Johnson said. “Our families have been the biggest supporters and everything has been great.”
Put it all together and Henderson has made a name for itself – one of the top three teams in the country – and the hard work pays off, followed by a fantastic final journey.
Mountain Region player Wyatt Erickson is hit by a pitch in the sixth inning of a game against West Region at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport on Monday afternoon, which Mountain Region won, 3-2. Dave Kennedy/Sun-Gazette
“I think the most fun part is playing the sport I love on a new platform. Little League is special. You don’t always get another chance like you do with club play,” Letal said. “But here in Little League it’s kind of the beginning of my career as a baseball player, and even though it’s coming to an end, it will always hold a special place in my career as a baseball player.”
Get the latest news from the day and more delivered to your inbox
In girls tennis, Hughesville shut out Montoursville, 5-0, to open the season with a win. Sarah Buch won 6-0 and…
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum will unveil its first-ever special edition Penn State Nittany bobblehead.
