Tennessee Takes Giant Step With Dramatic Win over California!

The Tennessee Little League All-Stars from Goodlettsville moved closer to the 2012 Little League World Series Championship with a see-saw battle over Petaluma, California 9-6 Sunday.

Tennessee took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first off three wild pitches. California answered with three runs. One run off a 6-3 ground out and a Tennessee wild pitch. The third, and go-ahead run, came at the hands of Bradley Smith, a solo homer to left giving Petaluma a brief 3-2 lead.

Goodlettsville’s next at bat in the second inning was productive. With one out Jonathan Seals singles on an in field hit and scores on a double by Jake Rucker (3-4, 3R, RBI) tying the game at three. Tennessee would take the lead 4-3 as Luke Brown hits a grounder to the third baseman behind the bag scoring Rucker.

Tennessee moved ahead by two in the fourth. Rucker doubles again with one out and moved to third on a pass ball. Jayson Brown drives in Rucker on a 4-3 ground out. Tennessee led 5-3.

Billed the best two US teams in Williamsport you knew California would not stop battling. That was the case Sunday. Petaluma connected on four homers. The second coming in the bottom of the fourth from leadoff batter Kempton Brandis and the Tennessee lead was 5-4 after four.

The West, a towering power-hitting squad cut the Goodlettsville lead to one, 5-4 with their third dinger of the game by Porter Slate. The most important hit so far, tying the game at five.

For the some 21,000 fans the best US game of the tournament came down to the final 6th inning. California using their third pitcher was hoping to go to the bottom of the frame tied, Goodlettsville had a different idea.

With one out Tennessee’s Andrew Snyder draws a base-on-balls. Jonathan Seals (2-2) singles to right. The next batter, top of the order, Jake Rucker strikes out. With two down and two on Jayson Brown stepped to the plate, Tennessee had the go-ahead run at second. What would Brown do? Connect on his best hit of the tournament is what Brown did. A bases clearing triple down the right field line plating Snyder & Seals giving Tennessee a 7-5 advantage. One good hit deserves another. Superstar Brock Myers kinda quite with the bat up until the sixth gave the West a rude awakening. It was a two-run blast to left putting Tennessee up 9-5.

California added another run in their sixth. A solo homer by Cole Tomei. The final Tennessee 9-6 moving them on to a Wednesday game at 7:00 central.

Tennessee used their two monsters of the mound. Myers started the game going 4-1/3 innings giving up five earned runs on eight hits. Jayson Rucker in relief got the win. Rucker gave up one run on one hit in 1-2/3 innings.

Andrew White, the 4th California hurler took the loss.

CONGRATS!!!!!!! TENNESSEE!!!!!!!!