Stratton leads SRV Nationals to title round
By Argus Observer Sports Staff
Friday, August 1, 2008 10:32 AM PDT
Lewiston — Zach Stratton put his teammates on his back and led them to the championship round.
Stratton, of Nyssa, tossed six solid innings and came through with the eventual game-winning, two-out RBI single in the top of the fifth inning to lead the 15U SRV Nationals to a 3-2 win over Madison, Idaho, Thursday in final round pool play action at Harris Field on the campus of Lewis and Clark State College in Lewiston.
“He threw well,” SRV Nationals pitching coach Michael Ray said. “He kept the ball down and ate up innings for us. He knew he had to go as long as he could to save our arms for Saturday.”
With one out in the fifth inning, Coleson Warrington reached base on an error.
Ryan Nyborg bounced into a fielder’s choice, which forced Warrington out at second base.
With Nyborg aboard and two outs in the frame, Brian Navarette kicked in a single, and Nyborg advanced all the way to third base.
Next up was Stratton, and the right-hander laced a 1-1 pitch up the middle for the RBI single, to give the Nationals a 3-2 advantage.
Blessed with the slim lead, Stratton strolled out to the bump and shut down Madison in the fifth and sixth.
Nyborg entered in the seventh and nailed down the save.
In all, the Nationals pitchers allowed one runner in scoring position, the last coming in the third inning.
Stratton fanned four batters, allowed four hits and walked one.
Tony Trejo, Eddie Lopez, Kyle Barras, Stratton and Navarette all tallied a hit apiece to spearhead the SRV Nationals’ five-hit attack.
The Nationals (25-5 overall) have today off and a with a win, take on the winner of Southern Oregon and Southern Washington at 2 p.m. Saturday.
A win in the first game advances the Nationals to a championship game berth at 5 p.m.
They will face the winner of the 11 a.m. contest.
The championship winner makes the dream trip to Van Buren, Ark., for Babe Ruth World Series action.
Final Round Pool Play
SRV Nationals 101 010 0 — 3 5 2
Madison, Idaho 011 000 0 — 2 4 2
Stratton, Nyborg (7) and Barras; Munns, Sutton (3), Robinson (5) and Lee. WP—Stratton. LP—Munns. SV—Nyborg. SO/BB—Stratton 4/1, Nyborg 0/0; Munns 0/2, Sutton 1/0, Robinson 3/2. HR— None. 3B— None. 2B—Robinson (M), Sutton (M). RBI—Stratton (SRV), Warrington (SRV), Nyborg (SRV); Munns (M), Robinson (M). Hits —SRV Nationals— Stratton 1-3, Trejo 1-2, Lopez 1-3, Barras 1-3 walk 2 runs, Navarette 1-2, Nyborg 0-3 run SAC FLY; Madison— Sutton 1-3, Munns 1-3, Robinson 2-3.
