By Troy Mitchell
CONWAY, ARK. – Kohen Manley collected two hits including a double and four runs batted in as well as pitching a compete game in leading Lake Hamilton to a 11-1 win over Mountain Home MaCleod to win the American Legion AA State Championship.
Manley was solid on the mound allowing just five hits and one earned run. He picked up his second win of the tournament.
Mountain Home’s Ian Ellison was named outstanding pitcher of the tournament going 1-0. He worked 10 innings, allowing just eight hits, no earned runs and 10 strike outs.
Rouse named American Legion MVP
Lake Hamilton’s Caleb Rouse earned most valuable player honors for the tournament. Rouse was 10-for-18 at the plate with 11 runs scored, 5 stolen bases and a .650 on base percentage.
Lake Hamilton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first-inning. Easton Hurley and Caleb Rouse opened the game with back-to-back singles. Kohen Manley drove in Manley with a single to left field. Rouse scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.
Mountain Home cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third. Nate Henderson drove home Carter Atkins on a fielder’s choices after Atkins was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on a Cory Jines single.
The Wolves struck for four runs in the sixth-inning. The big blow being a two run double by Manley followed by a run-scoring single by Landon West.
Lake Hamilton broke the game open in the seventh. It added five more runs with the help of a two-run single by Drew Reeves and a run-scoring base hit by Blake Cribb to secure the victory.
Wolves were wild card from pool play
Lake Hamilton and Mountain Home Macleod were the two teams to earn the wild cards from pool play. They advanced to the 8-team single elimination bracket. Both teams participated in pool play at Majestic Park in Hot Springs.
Lake Hamilton opened bracket play with a 7-4 victory over Conway behind winning pitcher Coy Autrey. He pitched six innings, allowing seven hits and striking out three batters.
Easton Hurley pitched the final inning in relief to pick up the save. Hurley retired the side in order, striking out two batters.
Landon West and Caleb Rouse had two hits each, with West having a double and a run batted in.
The Wolves advanced to the championship game with a win over Sheridan Peoples Bank on Saturday.
Again Lake Hamilton took advantage of its opponents errors jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first-inning.
Hurley led the Wolves offensively having three hits, while Rouse having two hits of his own. Hurley also pitched himself to a win going 6 1/3 innings. He surrendered seven hits and fanning seven batters. Landon West came on in relief to pick up the save.
Mountain Home opened bracket play with a 6-3 victory over Texarkana. Ian Ellison pitched a complete game, allowing seven hits, no earned runs and striking out five.
Mountain Home only managed three hits with Ellison, Isaiah Wood and Jaxson Westcoat all having singles. Texarkana committed four errors in the game.