Diamondbacks win Wood Bat title

Team Rudi finished its Legion season 20-3, winner of 13 games in a row to end the season. Most the Diamondbacks also were members of the Baker squad that finished secodn at the Class 4A high school tournament with a 20-plus win season.

“We like those 20-win seasons,” said Team Rudi coach Dan Blankenship.

“Our pitchers threw well this whole tournament,” he said. “Will Barr, Dekker Smith, Coleman Lay, Ty Everson and Matt Gorrell all had great outings.”

Everson earned the win in Sunday’s title game at the Baker Sports Complex. he threw an eight-hitter.

Team Rudi managed just two hits, a fourth-inning single by Trace Richardson and a sixth-inning triple by Stephen Talbot. But the Diamondbacks were patient at the plate, drawing a dozen walks.

Talbot and Derek Blankenship drew half of those walks.

“They saw what they did Saturday night, and they didn’t want to pitch to Stephen and Derek,” Blankenship said. “Then we were aggressive on the bases.”

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Team Rudi scored five times to take the lead for good.

Richardson singled to lead off, and went to second when Lay walked. A fielder’s choice and strike out left runners on first and second with two outs.

Talbot then reached base when the Winnemucca catcher was called for catcher’s interference when his glove tipped Talbot’s bat during a swing attempt.

Blankenship and Smith each drove in a run with bases-loaded walks. Gorrell plated another run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Two more runs scored on Badger errors.

Talbot lined a two-out triple to left-center field in the sixth. He later scored on a passed ball when Blankenship walked.

Winnemucca    0    1    0    1    0    0    0    —    2

Team Rudi    0    0    0    5    0    1    x    —    6

Moser, Shanks (6) and Pollock, Hofland (6). Everson and Gorrell. WP – Everson. LP – Moser.

Winnemucca hits – Case 2, Billingsley 2, Noble, Suyematsu, Hofland, Shanks. Team Rudi hits – Richardson, Talbot.

Winnemucca RBI – Hofland. Team Rudi RBI – Blankenship, Smith, Gorrell.

2B – Case, Hofland. 3B – Talbot.