Lack of Pitching Hurts Hagerstown

Washington, DC--For the team from Hagerstown, Md., their time at the Little League World Series has provided lots of emotions. In their first game, they didn’t record a hit yet they still won 3-2.

In their second game they improved, recording six hits, scoring five runs. It was far from enough, as their opponent, Mill Creek, Wash., pounded them for 16 hits, to win 15-5 in five innings.

The loss put Hagerstown’s record at 1-1 with one game remaining in pool play.

That one game becomes very interesting, if Hagerstown wants to advance in this tournament.

The team they face in their last game, Lake Charles, La., is undefeated and has allowed only three hits thus far.

The logjam at the top of the Pool A standings means Hagerstown will have to do a couple things to advance.

First they will have to win, and then they have to hope that Mill Creek, Wash., loses their final game. If not, they will have to rely on run differential, which creates more headaches than tax time.

First, Hagerstown has to put this defeat behind them. The pitching staff must forget the fact that they allowed 15 runs, and 4 home runs. Two pitchers, Ryan Kinter and Josh Barron, must forget the fact that they did not record an out.

And they must do it rather quickly, as they play again on Tuesday.