Latham's gem keeps Gorman alive in Legion World Series
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Aug. 13, 2011 | 3:24 p.m.
Updated: Aug. 13, 2011 | 8:49 p.m.
Updated: Aug. 13, 2011 | 8:49 p.m.
Jerrell Latham’s pitching stats don’t exactly jump off the page.
The Bishop Gorman junior entered Saturday’s game in the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C. with a 4-2 record, a 5.73 ERA and more walks (42) than strikeouts (34) in 51 innings of work this summer.
But all Latham did Saturday was keep alive the Titans’ season by throwing an eight-inning shutout.
Latham allowed three hits and six walks while striking out three as the Titans avoided elimination with an 11-0 win over Bedford (N.H.). The game was called after eight innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
“He was awesome,” said Gorman coach Nick Day. “He kept them off balance all game. He hides the ball really well, and his fastball just sneaks up on people. He kept throwing strikes.”
Gorman (48-9-1) will face Brooklawn (N.J.) in an elimination game Sunday at 10 a.m. PDT. The Titans must win once Sunday, once Monday and twice Tuesday to win the tournament.
Latham hadn’t thrown a shutout all summer until Saturday. He entered the game having allowed an average of almost two runners per inning.
“His problem when he has given up runs is he’s not throwing strikes,” Day said. “He pounded the strike zone today.
“It was big, because we didn’t have to use anyone else. We got to save all of our other pitchers.”
Bedford (23-7) didn’t seriously threaten until the sixth inning, when it loaded the bases with two outs.
By then, the Titans already had a 5-0 lead.
Latham, who gave up two singles and a walk in the sixth, got a ground out to second baseman Justin Jones to end the threat.
Gorman’s defense was flawless in support of Latham, handling 36 fielding chances without an error.
Meanwhile, the Titans, who had trouble finding a clutch hit in a 6-3 tournament-opening loss to Tupelo (Miss.) on Friday, scored in five of the eight innings.
The Titans scored the only runs they needed in the third inning when Michael Blasko walked, stole second and continued to third on a throwing error, and came home on Jones’ RBI groundout. Johnny Sewald later walked, advanced to third on a wild pickoff attempt, and scored on T.J. White’s RBI single to give Gorman a 2-0 lead in the third.
Gorman scored twice more in the fourth and once each in the fifth and seventh innings before putting the game away with a five-run eighth.
A.J. Van Meetren belted a two-run home run in the eighth and finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs for Gorman. White was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs, and Erik Van Meetren went 2-for-5 with two runs for the Titans.
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