Marion advanced to the Colt World Series Championship thanks to a five run bottom of the first inning propelling them past Covina, California 9-2 at Rent One Park in Marion. Marion advances to tonight’s 6pm championship against Brownsville, Texas who advanced with their win over Greensboro, North Carolina in the other semifinal.
A five-run bottom of the first helped propel host Marion team past Covina, 9-2, and into Tuesday night’s championship game of the Colt World Series Monday night at Rent One Park in Marion.
Marion got things started when Parker Price was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, which allowed leadoff batter Cruz Harlan to score as Marion took an early 1-0 lead.
Marion took control when Price, Owen Cornett and Jakob Koehn scored on Trey Cole’s 3-RBI triple to give Marion a 4-0 lead. The big inning was capped off with an exciting play when Trey Cole stole home on a double steal to give Marion a 5-0 lead after one inning.
Covina cut into the lead in the next half when Adrian Morales scored to put Covina on the board.
But Marion added three more runs to its lead in the bottom of the second. Harlan and Peyton Bittle scored in the bottom of the second to give Marion a 7-1 lead. A Cornett groundout brought in Aidan Dodson to make it 8-1.
Covina’s last run came when Ernesto Duenas doubled to bring in Adrian Morales to make it 8-2.
Marion’s final run came in the bottom of the fourth. Price hit a blast to the fence in left-center to score Cornett.
Price finished it off on the mound to give Marion the 9-2 win and berth in Tuesday night’s championship game.
Marion (4-1) will face Brownsville, Texas (4-2) at 6 p.m. Tuesday night in the championship game at Rent One Park in Marion.
Representing our area for Marion are Salem’s Griffin Day and Charlie Hunter, SC’s Aiden Dodson as well as Patoka’s Anthony Buonaura and Centralia’s Cruz Harlan.
