The Batesville Bats 17u traveled to Lawrenceburg, KY, this past weekend to participate in the Woodford Summer Slam and
earned a runner-up finish against solid competition from around the tri-state area.
The Bats avoided the heavy rains in the area Saturday and finished with two solid wins and the 1 seed for bracket play on Sunday. The squad defeated the Anderson Cats from Cincinnati, OH, 6-4 in the first game of pool play, followed by a convincing 12-2 win over the Mid America Prospects from Winchester, KY.
After earning a bye to begin bracket play, the squad defeated the Mid-America Prospects again in the semi-final 10-6. In the championship game, the Bats lost a 14-7 decision to the hot-hitting Kentucky Rockers out of Lexington, KY, in a contest that was back and forth early.
JP Izzo led the team in hitting for the tournament with a .700 batting average, Conner Drake hit .625, Dakota Wiggins .600, Chris Lewis .500, and Peyton Cordray .455.
Drake had a 1.125 slugging percentage hitting a 3-run home run in the championship. Lewis had an .833 slugging percentage. Cordray had an .818 slugging percentage going yard in game 1 of pool play. Sam Weigel also went yard in game 1 of pool play, while Trot Davidson hit an absolute bomb in the title affair.
Leading the squad from the hill was Chris Lewis. He pitched 4 1/2 innings for the tournament, allowing 1 earned run and 3 hits while striking out 5 and walking 4.
Leading the team defensively for the tournament with 1.000 fielding percentages were Caden Baker, Conner Drake, Chris Lewis, and JP Izzo.
The squad will next be in action Thursday through Sunday in the Greater Lafayette World Series played at various high school facilities around the Lafayette, IN, including the famous Loeb Stadium.
Recap provided by Paul Drake.