Lightning Claim 2nd Championship of 2012
Front Row (l. to r.): Coach Kevin Nunnikhoven, Keaton DeKock, Alex Dejong, Jaden Van Roekel, Jacob Kime Back Row (l. to r.): Coach Bryan Kime, KJ McCrea, Rian Yates, Tanner DeKock, Charlie Bandstra, Alex Chapman, Tucker Nunnikhoven, Coach Doug Yates Absent: Coach Doug DeKock
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Fresh off their first tournament title of the year in Iowa City, the Oskaloosa Lightning 12U baseball team returned to action this past weekend at the Pre-Memorial Day Hardball Tournament in Burlington. And once again the Lightning claimed the championship with great pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting.
In the first pool-play contest on Saturday the Lightning struck early and often in a 16 – 3, three-inning victory over the River City Dirtbags. Tanner DeKock, KJ McCrea, Charlie Bandstra, Rian Yates, and Keaton DeKock collected two hits, with Tucker Nunnikhoven, Jaden Van Roekel, and Alex Chapman chipping in with one hit apiece. Yates and Van Roekel combined for an efficient one-hit performance on the mound.
The second game against the Quad City A’s would prove to be quite a pitching contest. A scoreless tie through six innings forced an international-rules extra inning. The Lightning scored two runs in the top half of the extra frame, but the A’s quickly answered with two runs in the bottom half. Tournament rules stated the tie-breaker after one extra inning would be the number of base on balls allowed. Lightning pitchers McCrea, Nunnikhoven, and Bandstra had commanded the strike zone throughout the game allowing only one walk, compared to the A’s pitchers allowing three. The Lightning were declared a 3 – 2 winner via the tie-breaker. Yates contributed the only two Lightning hits.
The final pool-play game against the Burlington Vipers was a 9 – 2 win for the Lightning. T. DeKock put up two hits, with McCrea, Bandstra, Yates, K. DeKock, and Alex Dejong all adding a hit for the Lightning. Yates, Nunnikhoven, and T. DeKock controlled the contest from the mound.
The Lightning took the #1 seed into Sunday bracket play of the eight-team tournament. Their first opponent would be a rematch against the Vipers. Strong defense behind Yates allowed the Vipers only one hit on the way to a 10 – 0 victory. T. DeKock, McCrea, and Bandstra led the hitting attack.
The semi-finals would be yet another rematch for the Lightning against the Quad City A’s. And this game would prove to be even more heart-pounding than the first time the teams met. The Lightning took a 2 – 1 lead into the top of the fourth. And how things quickly changed. A couple of defensive miscues by the Lightning found them trailing 7 – 2 when the A’s finished their turn at bat. But then everyone got a chance to see the hearts of these young men. Four straight hits by McCrea, Bandstra, Yates, and K. DeKock got the engine going and by the end of the fourth the Lightning had climbed back on top 8 – 7. The A’s then tied the score in their next at bat setting the stage for T. DeKock. On a first-pitch fastball, T. DeKock drove a blast to left field for a walk-off home run sending the Lightning into the championship game. Nunnikhoven also had an extra-base hit for the Lightning. McCrea pitched well allowing only one earned run, with Bandstra picking up the save.
The championship game would prove anti-climactic after the semi-finals showdown. A slow start by the Lightning found them trailing 1 – 0 early. But two hits each by McCrea, Yates, and Van Roekel and a hit by Nunnikhoven would lead the Lightning to a 7 -1 victory. Nunnikhoven threw 5 solid innings, with McCrea coming in to close the door on the victory in the last inning.
With two tournament titles under their belt, the Lightning will be back in action in a doubleheader Saturday, May 27 at 10am at the Lacey Complex against a very strong Ottumwa team; favored by many to win the Little League state championship this year.
