The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
PHOENIX — The Bisbee Copper Kings let several chances to blow the game open early get away, and in the end, it took a dramatic rally to keep them in the winners’ bracket at the Pacific Southwest League Regional Qualifier Friday evening at Grand Canyon University.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Richard Hummel doubled to left to score Jason Gustavson with the tying run and Luis Pimentel laced a clean single to left, plating Justin Wright with the winning run in the 4-3 Copper Kings victory over Mesa-based Garden of Gears.
“We bounced back and showed a lot of heart,” Copper Kings manager Butch Hammett said. “Both pitchers did a great job. Jason Kimzey threw probably his best game all summer.”
Kimzey was staked to an early 2-0 lead and the Kings could have led by more as they stranded seven runners through the first three innings.
|
|
Garden of Gears scraped its way back into the game, tying the game at 2-2 and taking a 3-2 lead in the ninth. Kimzey pitched into the ninth before handing the ball over to Cody Bair. Bair allowed a bases-loaded bunt single that plated the go-ahead run.
Hammett went to another Buena alum, Calen Pennington to stop the bleeding. Pennington coerced two pop-ups to end the threat and the Kings went to their final at bat trailing by just one.
Gustavson led off the inning with an infield hit. Ben Seymour bunted him to second and Wright drew a walk after a lengthy at bat. Hummel’s double tied it and Pimentel’s single won it.
Tonight, the Copper Kings take on the winner of Friday night’s late game between the Tucson Nationals and the Casa Grande Cotton Kings. First pitch is at 7 p.m.
The winner of that game will advance to Sunday’s championship in the double-elimination tournament that will qualify its winner for the Nationa Baseball Congress National Tournament in Wichita, Kan. on Aug. 1.
Hammett said that either Tyler Johnston or Jacob Thomas will start tonight’s game.
