Peabody West goes out winners; Austin Batchelor has Ted Williams moment

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. ? Each year, some 90,000 Little League players who comprise the 7,500 teams that enter the 11- and 12-year-old all-star tournament dream of competing on the world’s biggest stage.For the 12 members of the Peabody West team, they got to end their Little League careers on that stage at Lamade Stadium Tuesday afternoon.It was not the US finals or the World Series title game, but rather the third game in pool play; still, the 12-3 win over Kentucky tasted sweet.Click here for a photo gallery.”It is nice to win,” Peabody manager Dave Batchelor said. “We finally hit the ball and get to go home with a win. This will make the ride home much better and maybe the next month will also be better.”While the elder Batchelor was proud of his team as a whole, his son, Austin, was pitching five strong innings (5 hits, 3 unearned runs, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts) to get the win as well as throwing in a Ted Williams moment when he hit a mammoth home run in his final at-bat in Little League.”The home run felt awesome,” Austin Batchelor said of the ball that landed halfway up the hill behind the centerfield fence. “To hit a home run in my last Little League at-bat in Lamade Stadium, it is awesome.””It was a very, very special feeling to see him hit that home run, especially coaching third base,” Dave Batchelor said. “I was very, very proud.”Peabody, which had been held to nine hits in its first two pool games, exploded Tuesday afternoon, banging out 13 hits.Batchelor (3-for-4, 3 runs and 2 RBI), Traverse Briana (2-for-3, 2 runs and an RBI) and Sean McGrath (2-for-2, run and RBI) all had multiple-hit games. Matt Gonick and Matt Hosman each knocked in a pair of runs.”Today, we felt a lot less nervous,” Hosman said. “The game was important, but wasn’t as important as the other two.”With the game tied, 1-1, in the third inning, Peabody took its first lead of the tournament when Hosman reached on an error, Batchelor walked, Briana beat out a perfectly placed bunt down the first-base line and pinch-hitter Matt Gonick slapped a single to left, scoring two.Nick Bona drove in a run with a fielder’s choice and McGrath knocked in the fourth run of the inning with a single to right. Hosman knocked in two more with a double to right. Batchelor knocked in a run with a double to right-center. Briana followed with an RBI double down the left-field line.In all, Peabody sent 13 batters to the plate in the third, scoring nine runs on seven hits.Peabody tacked on two more in the fifth when Anthony Cravotta singled to left, knocking in Briana, who walked after Batchelor’s home run.Michael Petrosino came on in relief of Batchelor and struck out the side in the top of the sixth to nail down the win.”(Right now) I haven’t had the opportunity to think about what we have done yet,” Dave Batchelor said. “I haven’t even seen a newspaper from back home in a few weeks. It will take some time to realize. I certainly do not have any complaints. We finished our career at the World Series and won our last game.”With the win, Peabody ends its All-Star season with an 18-2 record and a third-place finish in its pool play.Hosman said playing in South Williamsport was like playing in a Major League stadium.”No matter which field (Lamade or Volunteer), it is like playing in a Major League stadium,” Hosman said. “You have all these fans coming to see you and with the hill all filled up.”Batchelor said some of the players were headed straight home after Tuesday’s game and that most, if not all, would be home Wednesday afternoon.”I am going to miss the guys,” Hosman said. “We start school soon, so that is sad. We probably won’t all be together again.”Dave Batchelor said the Red Sox were honoring the New England champs by bringing them to a game Sept. 12.”The whole tourney was awesome,” Austin Batchelor said.