Editor’s note: This story has been updated. Monday’s game against Texas is at 4 p.m. Pacific time.
OCALA, Fla. — Wilder Senior got off to a great start in the Babe Ruth 18U World Series, sending 12 batters to the plate in the first inning and rolling out to an 8-1 lead after one frame to take command in a 16-1 opening game victory over Australia.
Jordan Shumway was the star of the game with a two-run home run and a two-run double for four RBIs. He was named as the player of the game by tournament officials.
Wilder Senior actually got behind in the first inning 1-0 as starter Brayden Martin struggled to start the game. He hit two batters and allowed two singles in the first.
In the bottom of the inning, Wilder Senior responded with two walks, two doubles, including Shumway’s, three hit batsmen, a sac fly and two singles.
In the second inning, Martin settled down, throwing just 11 pitches to get two strikeouts and a groundout. Australia was never in the game again as Wilder added three more runs in the second and four more in the third.
Martin went three innings, allowing four hits and one earned run as he struck out five. Bryce Deleon pitched the fourth, allowing one hit, but striking out the side as Wilder tallied eight strikeouts as the game was called after four innings due to the mercy rule. The game started 1 hour, 40 minutes late, but it didn’t affect the seniors as it took them just 87 minutes to finish the game.
At the plate, nearly everyone in the lineup contributed. Colton Romero was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and an RBI. His most exciting run came in the second inning when he came all the way home from first base on a Braydan White triple.
Alex Angevine had a double, a run scored and an RBI. Ezra Townsend had a hit, a run scored and two RBIs, while Rylan Politika had a hit, a run scored, a sac fly and three RBIs. Josiah Gooding had a hit, a run scored and an RBI.
Wilder Senior (34-9-1) gets Sunday off, then plays at 4 p.m. Pacific time Monday against Mid-County, Texas, a team from Nederland, Texas. This team beat Mexico 7-0 on Saturday. The games can be viewed live on Gamechanger.com.
Wilder Senior 16, Australia 1
Aus. 1 0 0 0 x x x — 1 4 2
WSr. 8 3 4 1 x x x — 16 9 1
Pitching
WSr. — Martin 3 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 K; Deleon IP, H, 3 K.
Batting
WSr. — Shumway 2-2, HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBIs; Romero 2-2, 3 R, RBI; Angevine 1-1, 2B, R, RBI; White 1-2, 3B, R, RBI; Politika 1-1, R, SF, 3 RBI; Townsend 1-2, R, 2 RBI; Gooding 1-2, R, RBI,
