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Chinese Blank Escanaba; Defending Champs Next
 ROXANA, Del.---The Escanaba Big League Girls (age 16-18) were shut out in their final World Series pool play game on Thursday, losing to the Chinese National Champions, 8-0, in Roxana, Del. Escanaba finished 2-2 in pool play, and now will face the defending World Series champions from West Monroe, La., in the quarterfinals on Friday afternoon at 5:30. "The girls are emotionally drained," Escanaba Manager Andy Fields said. "There's a lot going on here. Our focus just isn't there. I think their focus is on the quarterfinal. They're smart girls. They know that we're moving on. It's tough to get them up for a game that really, realistically, doesn't matter. But, that's no excuse. I believe we'll come back tomorrow and play well."  "She's got a little swelling on the sign of her hand," Fields said after the game. "I don't think anything's broken there." It was obvious early that Escanaba's focus was lacking when a Chinese runner went to third base on a wild pitch...and came home when catcher Taylor Segorski had no one to throw to at the plate. Escanaba made three errors in the game, but six of the eight China runs were earned. The Chinese team had three boys in the line-up...something that Little League allows for international teams. One of them...second baseman Zhang Ting...made five putouts defensively and had an RBI single. Another of the boys, center fielder He Ziaoyan, made a nice catch in deep left-center field in the seventh inning to take a potential RBI away from Wisler. But by no means dod Escanaba lose this game because China had three boys on the field. The Chinese pitcher, Liang Ruqing, did a nice job of painting the corners, and Escanaba struck out an unusually-high nine times. Escanaba had four base hits in the game, but the girls did have two good scoring opportunities early in the game that they did not cash in on.  The team's hottest hitter, Becca Piron, came up with runners at the corners, but Liang challenged her and got Piron to strike out swinging. In the fourth inning, with China leading, 4-0, Ross was hit by a pitch and Segorski was safe on an error to start the inning. Taylor Gauthier struck out, and then Claire McInerney hit one up the middle that shortstop Lu Xiaomin made a running catch on for a double play. China's clean-up hitter, Gong Yi, had the biggest hit of the game: a booming triple to the right field fence to bring home a run in the fifth inning. She and Xiaomoin both had two hits. Escanaba faces West Monroe, La., at 5:30 Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals. The game will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (105.5), WCHT-AM (600), and on rrnsports.com. Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos and vdieos taken by Mary Gauthier, and for interviews with Piron and Taylor LaFave.  |
