Butler Co. advances in Hap Dumont

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 24, 2006 by Ken Corbitt

By Ken Corbitt

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

The Butler County Cubs posted an important victory Sunday in the 18-under division of the NBC Hap Dumont World Series.

Butler County took on the Kansas City Outlaws in a showdown of unbeaten teams, and the Cubs used one big inning with six runs in the sixth for a 7-0 victory at Hummer Sports Park as Justin Miller pitched a four-hit shutout.

It was a crucial win for the Cubs, giving them a sweep of their three pool play games. In reality, however, all it did was give them a higher seed as the 16-team tournament starts fresh with double- elimination bracket play today.

"It was a nice win," Cubs coach Darren Riley said. "We're building momentum and hope we can carry it into Monday.

"The three relaxing games are out of the way now. We'll see how the boys come out and handle the pressure on Monday."

The Cubs were the Pool B winners, while Play Ball Sports of Colorado won Pool A and the Mineola (Texas) Bombers took Pool C with 3-0 records. The Wichita Gators won Pool B with a 5-1 win over the Topeka Golden Giants.

In the 17-under division, the Topeka T-Bones posted a 3-1 record and had a chance to win Pool A pending the outcome of a late Sunday game. The Oklahoma Redhawks won Pool B with a 3-0 record. beating the Wichita Sluggers 13-5.

Butler County - primarily comprised of players from Augusta, Andover, Rose Hill, Wellington and Maize - reached the final four last when playing as the Intimidators.

"We only have three seniors," Riley said, "but those three seniors carry the weight and that's why we're competing in the 18- under division."

The Cubs and Outlaws played five scoreless innings, but the Outlaws missed a prime opportunity in the bottom of the fifth. They had runners at second and third with no outs but came away empty after Miller induced two comebackers to the mound then a liner to first base.

"Holding them and keeping that zero on the board is always the goal," Riley said.

That defensive stand ignited the Cubs, who came back with six runs in the top of the sixth after three Outlaw errors opened the door. Jared Scott beat out an infield single then Austin Etling put down a bunt, but a throwing error by the KC pitcher allowed Scott to score and put Etling at third.

Etling scored on a squeeze bunt by Aaron Robbins, and Adam Russell capped the inning with a two-run double.

"The hardest run to get is always the first one," Riley said. "After we stopped them, we had a little talk and our players picked it up.

"It was good to see our boys come out and compete. It was a good pitching battle for the first five innings until we broke it open there in the sixth."

Ken Corbitt can be reached

at (785) 295-1123

or ken.corbitt@cjonline.com.

NBC HAP DUMONT WORLD SERIES

18-under

Pool A - Mid-Kansas Redbirds 5, Oklahoma Cardinals 2; Play Ball Sports 9, Lawrence Red Sox 1. Records: Play Ball 3-0, Redbirds 2- 1, Cardinals 1-2, Red Sox 0-3.

Pool B - Skiatook Dawgs 6, Wichita Lugnuts 2; Butler County Cubs 7, Kansas City Outlaws 0. Records: Cubs 3-0, Outlaws 2-1, Dawgs 1- 2, Lugnuts 0-3.

Pool C - Mineola Bombers 13, Bonner Springs Pirates 2; Wichita Sluggers 14, Missouri Bulldogs 6; Bombers 10, Sluggers 7; Bulldogs 10, Pirates 3. Records: Bombers 3-0, Sluggers 2-1, Bulldogs 1-2, Pirates 0-3.

Pool D - Wichita Gators 9, Texas Hurricanes 3; Topeka Golden Giants 9, Kansas Cardinals 4; Cardinals 9, Hurricanes 0 (forfeit); Gators 5, Golden Giants 1. Records: Gators 3-0, Golden Giants 2-1, Cardinals 1-2, Hurricanes 0-3.

17-under

Pool A - Kansas City Barnstormers 11, Topeka Senators 1; Topeka T- Bones 7, Wichita Gators 2; Cedar Creek Muckdogs 22, Senators 7; Senators 13, Muckdogs 10. Records: T-Bones 3-1, Muckdogs 3-1, Barnstormers 2-1, Gators 1-2, Senators 0-4.

Pool B - Oklahoma Redhawks 6, Topeka Golden Giants 3 (late Saturday); Wichita Sluggers 10, Triple Play All-Stars 4;Triple Play 4, Golden Giants 1; Redhawks 13, Sluggers 5. Records: Redhawks 3-0, Sluggers 2-1, Triple Play 1-2, Golden Giants 0-3.