Opp Wins Thriller To Claim Final Playoff Spot

Aug 31, 2023

Aug 16, 2023

Opp, Alabama's Cash Harrell delivers to the plate during Game 19 of the Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series against Broomall Newtown, Pennsylvania on Wednesday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.P-J photo by Matt Spielman

The task for Opp, Alabama was a simple one on Wednesday.

If it won, then it would break into the playoff round of the Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series.

However, winning Game 19 against winless Broomall-Newtown, Pennsylvania was anything but task.

In a back-and-forth game, Opp trailed 9-6 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, with its tournament hopes on the line. Opp quickly put runners in scoring position, then plated both Clay Jackson and Talan Wicker with two outs and Southwest Regional MVP, Porter Nelson, stepping up to the plate with a chance to tie. Nelson sent a hard grounder that went right down the first baseline and took a fortunate hop off the bag and over the diving first baseman to drive in Cash Harrell and even the score at 9-9.

After getting down to its final strike in the previous at-bat, then receiving the fortunate bounce of the bag, it seemed inevitable that Opp was going to win with runners on first and third. Baylor Turman was the player for the moment and sent a no-doubt shot into the right-centerfield gap which would have easily been for extra bases, but all he needed was one as Will Jackson trotted home to give Opp the 10-9 win at Diethrick Park.

Broomall Newtown, Pennsylvania's Roman Notaro throws to first base during Game 19 of the Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series against Opp, Alabama on Wednesday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.P-J photo by Matt Spielman

It looked like there would be no need for the dramatic when Opp jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the second inning, but after giving up one run and approaching the pitch limit that would have made him ineligible for pitching in the playoff round, Opp took the ball out of Cash Harrell’s hands.

Broomall-Newtown quickly made that look like a regrettable decision when it burned through two pitchers in the fifth inning while scoring eight runs and taking a 9-6 lead. At that point, Broomall-Newtown not only had its fans behind them, but the Jamestown crowd was watching its playoff hopes improve with the newly gained lead.

A Broomall-Newtown win would have created a three-way tie at the bottom of the American Division that would have sent the Krusaders through — unless they gave up 16 runs in their final game.

But it did not come down to that.

It appeared Opp had let the game get away and went to its fourth pitcher, Nelson. After a rough start in Tuesday’s game against Torrance in which he failed to get an out, Nelson was the saving grace for Opp on the mound against Broomall-Newtown. Even with two walks, Nelson focused and worked Opp out of the sixth inning without any further damage. Then, in the seventh, he struck out two batters and had the assist on the second out.

Opp, Alabama's Dawson Cox throws to first base during Game 19 of the Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series against Broomall Newtown, Pennsylvania on Wednesday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.P-J photo by Matt Spielman

Nelson’s performance on the mound set the table for the seventh inning in which Opp just needed to replicate its four-run first inning to win the game.

Turman’s game-winning hit earned him the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game award, while Jack Quinn who went 2 for 3 with a run scored and two RBIs earned the honor for Broomall-Newtown.

Opp finished pool play with a 2-2 record and will play the No. 2 team from the National Division, Beekman, New York, at 4:30 p.m. today.

Broomall Newtown, Pennsylvania's Justin DiSantis gestures toward his dugout after hitting a double during Game 19 of the Babe Ruth 13-15 World Series against Opp, Alabama on Wednesday at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.P-J photo by Matt Spielman

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