David W. Smith/Daily News Warren County South 11-year-old team catcher Adam Jones bobbles the ball Wednesday against Valley Sports at the Little League State Tournament in Louisville.

advertisement

LOUISVILLE — Throughout its postseason run, Warren County South thrived on the big innings.

But the big inning was ultimately South’s downfall in Tuesday’s 11-year-old Little League State championship game at Valley Sports.

South London erupted for seven runs in the third inning and cruised past Warren County 12-1, giving South its first postseason loss.

London sent 12 runners to the plate and pounded eight hits off three Warren County pitchers, breaking up what was to that point a back-and-forth contest.

“We knew coming in that South London had an explosive team,” WC South manager Jim King said. “They have a real good hitting team. We do too, but it wasn’t our day. It happened to be their day today.”

South London took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after an RBI single by John MacFarland, but Warren County tied the score on solo home run by Wes King in the bottom of the inning.

Warren County threatened to take the lead with a runner on base and one out, but South London turned a double play to get out of the inning.

That momentum on defense carried over to the offense with the first five London batters in the inning eventually coming home to score. The big blows came on a two-run single by Braden Miller and a two-run triple by Zach Allen.

Warren County went to the bullpen twice, but South London tacked on two more runs to make the score 8-1.

“That inning put the momentum in their favor definitely,” King said.

South London added to its lead in the sixth with a four-run outburst capped by a two-run single by MacFarland.

London finished the game with 14 hits, while Warren County was limited to five.

“Our pitching has been strong all year, but this was (London’s) day,” King said. “They saw it well and hit the ball well on us. They hit the ball in spots where we weren’t at and we kicked the ball around a little bit, which is uncharacteristic of us.”

The loss dampened a day that began with Warren County picking up a 7-2 victory over Valley Sports in the semifinals.

Warren County got a complete game from Cameron Shyrock and a home run and four RBIs from Joseph McIntyre to secure a spot in the title game.

“That was the game of the day - to get to the second game,” King said. “We knew we needed to throw Cam. He did a great job of pitching. He’s done that all year and I’m real proud of him.”

Shyrock scattered four hits and struck out 12 batters. The right-hander retired the last 11 batters.

Shyrock got all the offense in the third inning he needed when McIntyre hit a three-run homer to center field for a 4-1 cushion.

“Joseph hitting the home run was the spark we needed,” King said.

Valley Sports scored a run to cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the third, but Warren County added two runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth to secure the victory.

Warren County finished with 10 hits. Adam Jones had three hits and two runs scored.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the boys,” King said. “The state runner-up is nothing to hang your head at. They are hurting right now, but they’ll understand their accomplishment in a few days. I think they’ll hold their head high and proud. I wish we would have won it and I thought we would have, but the momentum just shifted.”

VS 101 000 - 2

WC 013 021 - 7