Friday, July 12, 1996

Lone Star forces a game today for title

By MARK WILSON
Staff Writer

Aaron Terry and David Willis each slugged a home run and Bryan Potts threw a two-hitter as Lone Star handed Merkel its first loss, 11-1, Thursday night in the District V Little League baseball all-star tournament.

The game, played at Eddie St. Pierre Field in Cal Young Park, set up tonight's final championship game between Merkel and Lone Star. The two teams will tangle at 7:30 p.m. to decide which team will advance to the sectional tournament in Snyder, starting July 18.

Merkel could have eliminated Lone Star with a win Thursday, but both teams now have one loss in the double-elimination tournament entering.

While Potts was throwing his fourth complete-game victory in all-star play, giving up just two singles, Lone Star had 11 hits off Merkel pitcher Cole Riggan. Merkel had some sparkling defensive plays, but also made five errors.

"We hit the ball well tonight," said Lone Star manager Richard Walker, whose team has just two errors in the last three games. "They're just playing as good as you can expect them to play. When you make plays like that, you can expect to win ballgames."

Potts walked only one, and struck out eight of the 19 batters he faced.

"He's been real consistent," Walker said. "He's been able to hold batters in check. When they have hit it, they haven't been able to get hard hits."

Merkel manager J.T. Naron said, "We'll be back tomorrow. We're a small league, and we're doing good to get this far. We're proud of our boys. They can play ball. Tomorrow night's a fresh start."

Willis put an end to Thursday night's game with his 18th home run of the season - a mammoth blast over the left-center field fence in the bottom of the fifth inning. That produced the 11-1 margin and ended the game on the 10-run rule.

Terry's homer to left field came with Willis and Alan Letz on base in the first inning, after Letz had singled home D.J. Sigala, who had led off with a single.

Merkel, trailing 4-0, cut the margin to 4-1 in the second as Lupe Prieto walked and Colt James singled. The runners moved up on a passed ball, and Prieto scored on an error.

Lone Star had a three-run third to go up 7-1, benefiting from three Merkel errors and only one hit. Letz scored on a passed ball and Terry came in on an infield error. A single by Jeff Walker brought home Potts.

Matt Hinds and Potts each came through with an RBI single in the fourth for Lone Star to raise the margin to 9-1.

The homer by Willis came with one out in the fifth after Walker singled.