Despite having one of its best pitchers on the mound Monday, July 11, the Verde Valley Majors All-Stars baseball team [ages 11 to 12] was eliminated, 8-4.
“I’m happy with the kids, even though I don’t think they performed up to their ability,” Verde Valley Head Coach Creighton Kim said. “I am a little disappointed that things didn’t line up for us the way we hoped.”
At the District 10 Arizona Little League All-Stars Tournament in Prescott Valley on Monday, Verde Valley sent 11-year-old Tyler Kelly to the mound to face its crosstown rival, the Camp Verde All-Stars.
After throwing a zero up on the board in the first inning, Kelly went on to allow Camp Verde to score two runs in the second, and three runs each in the third and fourth innings and was chased from the game after 85 pitches.
Down 2-0, Verde Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie it, 2-2, but then gave up the three runs in the third and the fourth on several miscues, and trailed 8-4 which was the final.
Kelly went four innings, allowing eight runs, four of which were earned, on four hits and one walk while striking out six Camp Verde hitters.
Kim brought in 12-year-old relief pitcher Jordan Estrada who shut down Camp Verde in his one inning of work in the fifth.
In the sixth, 12-year-old Josh Cole did the same, keeping Verde Valley close, but in the end, the boys in red couldn’t get it done with the bats.
Standouts at the plate for Verde Valley included Kelly who was 3-4 on the game while 12-year-old third baseman Bailey Pelletier was 2-3 with two runs scored. Right fielder Tim Loper, 12, was 2-3 as well with two runs scored.
Verde Valley began its tournament with an impressive 7-0 win July 5 over the Chino Valley All-Stars, but lost July 6 to the Prescott Valley All-Stars, 10-5.
After beating the Wickenburg All-Stars on Saturday, July 9, 14-0, Verde Valley earned the right to play Camp Verde.
With the 8-4 loss to Camp Verde, Verde Valley finishes the District 10 Arizona Little League All-Stars Tournament with a 2-2 record.
Camp Verde went on to defeat the Prescott South All-Stars on Tuesday, July 12, 4-0, putting them in the District 10 championship game Wednesday, July 13, against Prescott Valley.
First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. Camp Verde will need to defeat Prescott Valley twice if it expects to win the title.
