Carter McLaughlin smashed a pair of two-run homers to drive in four runs as the Glo-Valve Service Dodgers bested the Rotary Club Phillies 7-3 Thursday to pull into a tie for first place in the Pampa Optimist 11-12 Cal Ripken League.
McLaughlin also pitched a couple of hitless innings giving up one unearned run, striking out five and not walking a batter. Eastman Willis won his first game of the season holding the Phillies in check for four innings allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out six and walked four. Conner Alva pitched a complete game for Rotary. He allowed six earned runs and six hits. He struck out 13 and walked two.
In the top of the second inning, David Buendia doubled and stole third and home to open the scoring for Glo-Valve. Glo-Valve stretched its lead to four in the top of the third. Willis singled, stole two bases and scored on a wild pitch. Hagen Hudson walked and trotted home on Carter’s first blast over the left field wall.
Rotary got into the scoring column in the fourth inning. Antawn Wright reached base on an error and came into score after a stolen base, a passed ball and another error making the score 4-1 in Glo-Valve’s favor.
In Glo-Valve’s half of the fifth inning, Hudson walked for a second time. On the next pitch, McLaughlin sent the ball high over the left field fence again. Buendia followed by reaching base on an error. He stole two bases and hustled home on a wild pitch. Rotary was not through. In the bottom of the sixth, Wright slammed a triple and scored on a single by Alva. Alva was thrown out on a fine defensive play by Glo-Valve’s Trip Carter who fielded Wesley Douglas’ Texas League single in short left field and fired to Aiden Hammond at third to nip Alva trying to go from first to third on the play. Douglas alertly took second on the throw. He stole third and continued home when the throw got by the third baseman. Willlis walked two and struck out two of the last four batters to end the game.
Wright, with a hit and two runs, lead the Phillies’ offense. McLaughlin, with two homers and four RBIs, was the leading hitter for Glo-Valve. Hudson and Buendia also scored twice for Glo-Valve.
Jaston Cambern twice went deep into the hole at shortstop to throw out Glo-Valve runners at first for top defensive plays for the Phillies. The Phillies got another outstanding defensive play when first baseman Douglas hustled after an errant pickoff attempt and threw to Cambern for an out at second.
Willis turned an unassisted double play catching a soft fly ball off his shoe tops and beating a runner to first base for an outstanding defensive play for Glo-Valve. With the win, Glo-Valve pulled into a tie for the league lead with the First Bank & Trust Rockies with a record of 2–0-1. Glo-Valve plays again on Tuesday when they visit the Flogistix Red Sox at 6:30 p.m. at Optimist Park
The Pampa Optimist Youth Club is a Pampa United Way agency.
