Little League All-Stars District 6 12U baseball finals: 'Good' enough for Ashland

Jul. 2—GRAYSON — Ashland found its first hit at just the right time.

Ashland didn't have a baserunner through four innings. Carter County starting pitcher Eian Porter retired the first 12 batters he faced in the Little League All-Stars District 6 12U championship game on Friday night at Grayson Sports Park.

Ashland's fortunes started to change in its next at-bat and the ball even started to bounce the team's way.

Hunter Good led off the fifth frame with a hard and high ground ball that ricocheted off the second baseman.

If that was good, then the next time an Ashland batter made contact proved to be great.

Chandler Kisor found the pitch he wanted and laced a double to the gap in right-center field, allowing Good to race home with the game's only run.

"We had a runner on first, so I was clearly looking for a gap," Kisor said. "I put the hit right in the gap and got him in. I got what I was looking for. I wanted to at least advance (the runner) so we could get him home."

Ashland starter River Lynch made the lead stand up in the sixth inning. Carter County got a runner into scoring position, but the hurler struck out the side to preserve the 1-0 victory.

"I just wanted to come in and pitch strikes," River Lynch said. "I just had to focus on the game."

Ashland manager Rob Lynch applauded the response of his young team after Carter County forced the winner-take-all game with the same 1-0 margin the night before.

Carter County held Ashland to just one hit in Thursday's game, but the manager felt it was only a matter of time until his offense made an appearance.

"With Chandler, we have just been waiting on the bats to wake up," Lynch said. "Chandler is a big hitter for us. He found it at the right time. He squared up and hit it to the gap to advance the runner. Then we were able to lock it down in the top of the (sixth) inning. Players play in big games. Chandler proved he is a big-time player."

River Lynch was part of a pitching staff that allowed only two runs in four games during the district tournament. Ashland used a solid defense to outscore its opponents by a combined score of 29 -2. Twenty-one runs were scored in its opener.

"When you're under pressure, you have to throw strikes," Rob Lynch said. "River was around the plate all night long. He did a good job mixing up his pitches and kept them off-balance. With a good defense behind him, he was able to come through. There is a lot of pressure trying to close out a game that was 1-0. He handled it well and showed what he is made of."

Carter County manager Garrett Kitchen was equally pleased with how his team kept fighting and how they came together in their inaugural year after the Grayson and Olive Hill Little League teams combined forces.

"I am proud of them," Kitchen said. "They fought hard all week long. We played the two best teams all week and in five games, we came out 3-2. There is not a single kid that I'm not proud of."

While the pitchers contained the offense, both defenses sparkled in the July sunlight. Ashland made contact at the plate, but the infield kept the stat sheet spotless, especially Reid Griffith at first base.

Griffith's glove gobbled up several grounders that resulted in unassisted put-outs. Porter struck out three and didn't walk a batter.

"Eian has been good all year," Kitchen said. "We had our No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers on the mound on (Thursday and Friday) night. Eian came out and performed like how we knew he would perform. They get one hit and one run. That's where we were at."

Levi Rice and Lawson Wilder both provided two-out singles in the second inning to start Carter County's first scoring threat. Lynch induced a fly ball to end the inning.

"I just wanted to calm down today," River Lynch said. "I just had to pitch strikes and know that you have defense behind you."

The Ashland defense had to make a play in the fourth inning after Carter County placed another runner on the base paths.

Porter started the stanza with a base hit and Carter County decided to insert courtesy runner Carson Bradford. Lincoln Sturgill followed with a double to the left-field fence.

Bradford charged around third base and was waved home. Ashland shortstop Tevin Smith collected the relay throw and sent a laser to home plate that beat the runner.

Catcher Josh Sutton applied the tag and preserved a scoreless game.

"We accepted the challenge, no doubt about it," Rob Lynch said. "That was just two really good Little League ball clubs right there. We are doing two-a-day (practices) to get ready for this moment. When you get a ball as well-hit to the fence, and be able to cut it off, hit your cutoff man, then throw an absolute strike, it's just a testament to how hard these kids work in practice."

Kitchen and third-base coach Bradley Cherry had no reservations about sending the runners. The two teams are familiar with each other and knew one tally might be all they needed.

"We had one of the fastest kids on our team on the bases," Kitchen said. "That ball gets hit a little weaker or he rounds second a little harder and we are right there. Whether it was one foot or six inches (at the plate), the momentum of the game could have changed."

Ashland advances to the state tournament at La Grange in two weeks.

"I'm very excited," said River Lynch.

"We just wanted to come out and play hard," Kisor added. "All the effort that we put in during practice, we put it in the game. It feels amazing. It's three years in a row for River, Josh and me."

CARTER CO. 000 000 — 0 5 1

ASHLAND 000 01X — 1 2 0

Porter and English; Lynch and Sutton. W—Lynch. L—Porter. 2B—Sturgill (CC), Kisor (A).