The Boys from Hagerstown walk it off again, a breakdown
What Happened
The Hagerstown Little League team is facing off against Iowa in their first game at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The game is tied 7-7 in the top of the sixth inning. Iowa's number 20 pitcher, Jacob Troutwine, is on the mound trying to get the final outs and send the game to extras. Troutwine is "spinning a lot of junk up there," fooling the Hagerstown batters with his curveballs and off-speed pitches. He gets two quick outs, leaving a runner on first base. The catcher sets up high in the zone, and Troutwine delivers another curveball that the batter swings over, giving Iowa the third out. Now in the bottom of the sixth, it's Hagerstown's last chance to walk it off and win the game. The Hagerstown pitcher calmly fields a ground ball and makes a strong throw to first base to get the out. The next batter hits a fly ball to center field, and Jacob Troutwine nearly makes a "spectacular play" but has to settle for keeping the runner at second base. With two outs and runners on first and second, the pressure is on. The Hagerstown pitcher remains "calm, cool, and collected," quickly fielding the next ground ball and making the play to escape the jam. Now it's Hagerstown's turn to bat in the bottom of the sixth, with a chance to walk it off and win the game, just like they did in their last outing to reach the World Series. The first two batters work the count, as the pitcher tries to carefully pitch around them. On a 3-2 count, the pitcher delivers a strike right down the middle, but the batter just misses it. The Hagerstown coach comes out to the mound to talk strategy. They decide to pitch carefully to Hagerstown's big left-handed hitter, Jacob Troutwine. The first pitch is outside for a ball, then the next one is a slider that also misses the zone. With the count 3-1, the pitcher delivers another strike. On the payoff pitch, the ball splits the plate, but the umpire calls it a ball, loading the bases with one out. The Hagerstown crowd is going wild, sensing a chance for another dramatic, walk-off victory. The batter steps to the plate, ready to be the hero. He takes a few big swings, fouling off a couple pitches. On the 0-2 count, he puts the ball in play, and the shortstop fields it cleanly. But his throw to second base is off the mark, allowing the winning run to score and setting off a wild celebration for the Hagerstown Little Leaguers.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momentthe boys from hagerstown had their first
game in williamsport and they're tied
seven runs a piece in the top of the
sixth they had to lead iowa comes back
they have the lead iowa comes back it
was a close game curveball from number
20. he's spinning a lot of junk up there
the 1-1 that's another one gets him to
swing over it one two that's another one
fouls it back there's two outs there's a
runner on first the catcher wants it up
top he goes up top that's hidden to
center field
jacob trout wine almost makes a
spectacular play
man
almost look at this would have been
awesome
good effort keeps it in front of him
which keeps the runner at second base
they would have advanced if not you know
he wants to make that though so now
first and second
last inning and a little bit of a jam
right back to the pitcher calm cool
collector look how he gets rid of that
ball
watch this in there fastball jam shot
catches it puts it in his bare hand get
out of here little oomph on that drop
little little watch ready
boom see ya i'm out bottom six now they
can win on a walk-off remember their
last game
was a walk-off win to send them to
williamsport i did the breakdown on that
and that's outside
and that one's a strike and that one's a
ball i got that one and this one is
outside and the 3-1 that's a strike and
the 3-2 the payoff pitch
pitcher wants it doesn't it what
oh
oh
this is right down the middle
what
ah and it it it split the plate for sure
you know you don't got the tallest
batter maybe it's high
maybe it's right down the middle i don't
know i don't know the coach comes out to
talk to him
and walked it off in the bottom of the
six battle back let's not get it right
here so what we're gonna do is we're
gonna stay outside on him right where
was the last one
it's like a bit high
where was the last one it was right down
the middle and the catcher goes there's
a little eye and then he looks at the
catcher like come on man be cool
all right so they're trying to pitch
outside to jacob trout wine the big
hitter the lefty and that's outside ball
one the next pitch ooh kind of through a
little slider something like that that's
outside that's ball three the runner
advances ball force now it's first it's
in second one out double play ends the
inning and sends it to extras base hit
ends the game and they got their big guy
coming to play coach has some words look
at this look at this out here all right
look at this place
nobody better right here nobody better
right here all right let's do it let's
go come on nothing like a confidence
boost before you step in the play he
comes out swinging 0-1 swinging again
big ol hacks now we're praying o2 he's
gonna swing again he puts it in play the
shortstop grabs it gets the outed second
goes for the double play oh he threw it
away
and now they're coming home and oh yeah
throws the helmet let's go
fired up oh my oh she's the ghost of
hagerstown locks eyes with him i didn't
know you were coming
oh the whole gymnasium is going crazy
back at home in hagerstown they're
wilding out and i was told the ghost of
hagerstown was at the gymnasium
he made it he's behind it all
the boys from hagerstown maybe my
adopted team at this point although the
kid from curacao is pretty nasty i like
him