The MidState Dirt Dawgs, a local 13 and under team featuring several players from Goodrich, won a Triple Crown Tournament June 5-6 in Lansing.
With the win, the Dirt Dawgs qualified for the Triple Crown World Series in Steamboat Springs, Colorado Aug. 3-8.
The Dirt Dawgs compiled a 5-0 record in the tourney. The following are summaries of each of those games:
‘Saturday, June 5 ? Dirt Dawgs 6, Orland (IL) Stars 5 (8 innings): The Dirt Dawgs came from behind to tie the game, scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh before winning in the bottom of the eighth, as Steve Hughes drove in Jason Hager with the winning run. Travis Forsmark pitched five strong innings before giving way to Hager, who pitched the final three innings to pick up the win.
‘Saturday, June 5 ? Dirt Dawgs 5, Northville (MI) Broncos 4: Luke Harrison pitched all seven innings to pick up the win for the Dirt Dawgs. Jake Bourassa and Bobby Short each had two hits and two runs.
‘Sunday, June 6 ? Dirt Dawgs 7, Broncos 6: Forsmark and Caleb Jones combined to pick up the win. Nathan Bila had three hits and two runs, while Bourassa and Hughes each had two hits and two runs.
‘Sunday, June 6 (semifinals) ? Dirt Dawgs 12, Michigan Hitmen 10: The Dirt Dawgs outlasted the Hitmen, ranked #2 in the USSSA rankings. Bourassa went seven innings to pick up the win. The Dirt Dawgs led 12-4 going into the seventh inning, but the Hitmen scored six runs in the seventh to make the final score competitive. The third out in the seventh was made on a great catch by catcher Joey Zito on a foul popup by the backstop, ending the game with the tying runs on bases. Adam Borowiak, Zito, and Forsmark had two hits apiece.
‘Sunday, June 6 (championship) ? Dirt Dawgs 8, Cincinnati (OH) Stars 3: The Dirt Dawgs scored six runs in the fourth inning to overcome a 2-0 deficit and win the championship. The team had a combined pitching effort from Hager, Forsmark, Luke Harrison and Caleb Jones (one inning apiece) and Bourassa (three innings apiece). Bourassa had three hits and one run, while Jones and Harrison had two hits and two runs apiece.
The Dirt Dawgs are currently 22-0 overall and 12-0 in the North Oakland Baseball Federation (NOBF). They won the Clarkston Tune-Up Tourney May 1-2.