Marion repeats as Colt World Series champions 

MARION — Marion capped off its run to a second straight Colt World Series title Tuesday night. 

A stellar outing by starting pitcher Charlie Hunter and some timely offense pushed Marion to the championship. Hunter, a long lanky lefty, allowed just one run in a complete game effort as he helped Marion finish off a 5-1 week and Marion’s first title since 2019. The event was not held in 2020 due to COVID. 

Marion scored a run in the bottom of the second, four more in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the bottom of the sixth en route to a 7-1 win.

Brownsville came out ready to play and was threatening in the top of the first but Marion threw out Angelo Solis III at the plate and Hunter got out of the threat by getting Max Moreno Jr. to fly out to right to end the inning.

Nathan Alvear came out strong on the mound for Brownsville as he held Marion scoreless and stranded a runner in the bottom half of the inning. There was no score after one inning of play. 

Marion got on the board in the bottom of the second. Jakob Koehn, Trey Cole and Anthony Bounaura all singled to load the bases. Then after Trey Reinburg struck out, Cruz Harlan drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Koehn for the game’s first run. Marion led 1-0 after 2. 

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fourth when Marion took control. 

First, Bounaura tripled in Nicholas Dyer to make it 2-0. Then, Reinburg came through with a bloop single to score Bounaura, which gave Marion a 3-0 lead. 

Owen Cornett followed with an RBI double to score two and Marion’s lead was 5-0. 

In the top of the 6th, Luis Cortez tripled and scores on Nathan Alvear’s groundout to put Brownsville on the board, 5-1. 

Marion tacked on some insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Koehn singled in Aidan Dodson to put Marion ahead 6-1. Marion’s last run came when Cole singled in Cornett to make it 7-1 Marion.

Marion advances to Colt World Series championship game

MARION — A five-run bottom of the first helped propel host Marion team past Covina, 9-2, and into Tuesday night’s championship game of the Colt World Series Monday night at Rent One Park in Marion. 

Marion got things started when Parker Price was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, which allowed leadoff batter Cruz Harlan to score as Marion took an early 1-0 lead. 

Marion took control when Price, Owen Cornett and Jakob Koehn scored on Trey Cole’s 3-RBI triple to give Marion a 4-0 lead. The big inning was capped off with an exciting play when Trey Cole stole home on a double steal to give Marion a 5-0 lead after one inning. 

Covina cut into the lead in the next half when Adrian Morales scored to put Covina on the board. 

But Marion added three more runs to its lead in the bottom of the second. Harlan and Peyton Bittle scored in the bottom of the second to give Marion a 7-1 lead. A Cornett groundout brought in Aidan Dodson to make it 8-1. 

Covina’s last run came when Ernesto Duenas doubled to bring in Adrian Morales to make it 8-2. 

Marion’s final run came in the bottom of the fourth. Price hit a blast to the fence in left-center to score Cornett. 

Price finished it off on the mound to give Marion the 9-2 win and berth in Tuesday night’s championship game. 

Marion (4-1) will face Brownsville, Texas (4-2) at 6 p.m. Tuesday night in the championship game at Rent One Park in Marion. 

Brownsville secures spot in championship game

MARION — Brownsviille secured its spot in Tuesday night’s championship game with a 4-3 upset win over top-seeded Greensboro Monday evening at Rent One Park in Marion. They will face the winner of Marion and Covina. 

Brownsville, which had to defeat Aroma Park in Monday’s first game in order to advance to the game immediately following, picked up right where it left off. Nathan Alvear’s sacrifice hit drove in Angelo Solis III to give them a 1-0 lead. Then, Jacob Salas’ sacrifice fly scored Luis Cortez to make it 2-0 Brownsville. 

After Brownsville’s Roel Gonzalez escaped a first-inning jam on the mound, Sollis III’s infield hit brought in Joshua Alvear to give Brownsville a 3-0 lead in the top of the third.

The lead grew to 4-0 when Jacob Salas scored on Roel Gonzalez’ RBI hit to the outfield in the top of the third. 

Greensboro tried to rally. They got on the board in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-1.Then, a passed ball allowed Jace Brooks and Ian McMillan to score on a walk and suddenly, Greensboro was within 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth.

But Brownsville did not let them get any closer. Nathan Alvear escaped the jam with a huge inning-ending strikeout in relief and closed out the win on the mound to send Brownsville to the championship. Brownsville is now 4-2. Greensboro finishes 4-2 with both losses to Brownsville. 

Brownsville advances past Aroma Park in CWS bracket

MARION — Brownsville advances to face Greensboro at 5 p.m. with a 19-4 short-game victory over Aroma Park. Aroma Park finishes the Colt World Series 0-5.

Jayden Villagomez scored to put Aroma Park ahead early, 1-0 Max Moreno scores on Daniel Guerra’s bloop single to left to tie the game at 1-1.

Luis Cortez clears the bases and comes around to score on a misplay to put Brownsville ahead, 4-1.

Brownsville adds to its lead as Salvador Hernandez III drives in Angelo Solis III. Their lead is now 6-1.

Villagomez drives in Clay Gadbois to pull Aroma Park within 6-2.

Aroma Park scores two on Rosario Guastalli’s bloop hit into right-center to pull within 6-4.

Jacob Salas scores on Daniel Guerra’s bases-loaded walk to make it 7-4 Brownsville. Roel Gonzalez scores to make it 8-4. Guerra races home to make it 9-4.

Nathan Alvear scores. It’s now 10-4 Brownsville.

Max Moreno Jr. drives in Angelo Solis III and Salvador Hernandez III to make it 12-4. Then Roel Gonzalez’s hit to the right-field corner scores two to stretch it to 14-4.

Passed ball allows Roel Gonzalez to race home. 15-4.

Brownsville ended up scoring 13 runs in the inning and leads 19-4 after three innings.

They then closed out the 19-4 win by holding Aroma Park scoreless in the top of the fourth to advance and force the 15-run mercy rule into effect.

Marion downs Aroma Park, 13-1

MARION — Marion put up 11 runs in the top of the fifth on its way to a 13-1 five-inning win over Aroma Park in Sunday’s night cap at the Colt World Series.

Marion took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Peyton Bittle came around to score. Marion added another run in the top of the third when Trey Cole scored to make it 2-0.

It stayed that way until the top of the fifth when Marion blew the game open with an 11-run outburst. Highlights included runs from Bittle, Aidan Dodson, Owen Cornett, Jakob Koehn, Parker Price, Charles Hunter and Griffin Day as Marion blew it open to 13-0 after five innings. 

Aroma Park scored once in the bottom half of the fifth when Carson Statler scored on a hit by Clay Gadbois but it wasn’t enough as Marion held on and put the 10-run mercy rule into effect.

Marion improved to 3-1 and bounced back from its earlier loss to Greensboro this afternoon with the win. Aroma Park fell to 0-4 with the loss.

Both teams will start bracket play Monday with hopes of advancing to Tuesday’s championship game. 

Marion will play Covina at 8 p.m. with the winner advancing to Tuesday’s championship game. Aroma Park and Brownsville play at 2 p.m. with the winner advancing to play Greensboro at 5 p.m.

Greensboro defeats Covina, 17-7

MARION — Greensboro improved to 3-1 with a 17-7 win over Covina in Game 9 of the Colt World Series Sunday evening at Rent One Park in Marion.

Ethan George scored to put Greensboro on the board, 1-0, in the bottom of the first.

Jason Brooks Jr. drove in a pair of runs to put Greensboro ahead, 3-0, in the bottom of the second. 

Covina answered back in the top of the third. Efren Miranda’s bases-clearing hit brought in Aiden Trejo, Adrian Morales and Isaac Nava and then he raced home on an errant throw to put Covina up 4-3 in the top of the third. Mike Bang then drove in Diego Estrada to make it 5-3 Covina.

Greensboro tied it on Isaiah Brown’s two-RIBI hit in the bottom of the third. 

They then took the lead for good when Ethan George drove in a run to make it 6-5 and then added to it when Brooks Jr. brought in Brown to stretch the lead to 8-5 and went on to win 17-7.

Late rally lifts Greensboro past Marion at CWS

MARION — Greensboro rallied late to hand host Marion its first loss of the 2021 Colt World Series Sunday afternoon at Rent One Park in Marion.

Greensboro trailed 4-0 early and 7-5 heading into the seventh before rallying. Jackson Jones drew a walk with the bases loaded to bring in Ian McMillan to pull Greensboro within 7-6. Then, Cade Hill’s RBI triple cleared the bases as Nickell Hall, Jonathan Sendziak and Jackson Jones all scored to give Greensboro a 9-7 lead in the top of the seventh. They added an insurance run a sacrifice bunt to make it 10-7.

Marion tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh. Parker Price beat out an infield single to score Jakob Koehn with two outs to pull within 10-8 but they couldn’t get any closer.

Greensboro (2-1) held on to win, 10-8, and will play Covina at 5 p.m. It was host Marion’s first loss of the tournament. They are now 2-1 and will return to night to play Aroma Park at 8 p.m.

Marion took an early 1-0 lead after 1 inning of play on an Aidan Dodson sacrifice fly that brought in Peyton Bittle.

In the bottom of the third, Peyton Bittle’s RBI double brought in Cruz Harlan to give Marion a 2-0 lead. Dodson drove in Bittle with an RBI triple to stretch Marion’s lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third.

Trey Cole followed with an RBI hit to bring in Jakob Koehn and suddenly, Marion led 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth.

But Greensboro rallied back. Ian McMillan’s RBI hit up the middle drove in Conner Matin. Then, Ethan George and McMillan scored on Nickell Hall’s hit to RF to pull Greensboro within 4-3 in the top of the 5th.

Marion got a run back when Bittle drove in Harlan and then raced home after a misplay in left to put Marion ahead 6-3.

Marion appeared to be in control after Parker Price’s scorcher down the first base line brought in Jakob Koehl to give Marion a 7-3 lead.

Greensboro hung around, though. Kelton Fuquay bunted in Jackson Jones and beat it out at first to pull Greensboro within 7-4 in the top of the sixth.

Ethan George’s sacrifice fly scores Jackson Hill to make it 7-5 Marion before Greensboro’s big seventh-inning rally.

Brownsville, Texas opened day 3 of the Colt World Series with a 10- 0 win over Aroma Park, IL in  five innings Sunday afternoon at Rent One Park to improve to 2-2 in the tournament. 

Brownsville used four run bursts in the first and fourth innings to help put away Aroma Park, who fell to 0-3 in the tournament.

Aroma Park threatened to score in the fifth when Josiah Mason walked and then advanced to third on a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice with just one out. Andrew Shepherd flew out to right field and Mason tagged to score but was doubled up at home by Roel Gonzalez’s throw to catcher Maximo Moreno, Jr to end the game.

Alek Guzman went the distance on the hill for Brownsville to record the win.  

Marion stays unbeaten

MARION — The host Marion team was rude hosts in the nightcap of Saturday’s action at the 2021 Colt World Series’ second day at Rent One Park in Marion. 

Marion used a combination of timely hits and good pitching to defeat Covina, California, 11-1. 

Marion scored three times in the bottom of the second to take control. Parker Price’s sacrifice fly brought in Owen Cornett to put Marion on the board, 1-0.

Trey Cole drove in Anthony Bounaura to make it a 2-0 lead and then later scored to make it 3-0 after two innings.

Marion scored three more runs in the bottom of the third to take control, then added a pair of runs in the fourth, two more in the fifth and one more in the sixth to close out the walkoff win. 

Marion is now 2-0, while Covina falls to 2-1. 

Brownsville walks it off in extras

MARION — Brownsville, Texas picked up its first win of the 2021 Colt World Series in dramatic fashion Saturday afternoon at Rent One Park in Marion.

Brownsville, which went 0-2 on opening day Friday, beat Greensboro (1-1) with a walkoff win in extra innings in Saturday’s second game. 

Brownsville’s Jacob Salas was hit by a pitch, forcing in Salvador Hernandez, who scored the winning run to give Brownsville an 11-10 win in eight innings. 

Greensboro tied it at 10-10 in the top of the seventh when Isaiah Brown drew a bases loaded walk to force in a run. Brownsville’s Salvador Hernandez III got out of the jam with a strikeout to send it to the bottom of the seventh, where they were unable to score, therefore forcing the game into extras. 

Greensboro was in control early. Ian McMillan’s led off the top of the second with a single and then stole second and scored on Nickell Hall’s RBI hit to right to give Greensboro an early 1-0 lead.

Greensboro added to its lead when Jackson Hill drove in Jason Brooks Jr. and McMillan to make it 3-0 in the top of the fourth.

Brownsville started coming alive in the bottom of the fourth. They loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth and then got on the board when Roel Gonzalez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Angelo Solis scored to make it 3-1 Greensboro in the fourth. 

Brownsville tied it soon after when Jacob Salas drove in Salvador Hernandez and Nathan Alvear to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth. 

Greensboro loaded the bases and Jonathan Sendziak drove in Brown with an infield single to put Greensboro back ahead, 4-3, in the top of the fifth. 

McMillan drove in Bailey Wray with a fielder’s choice up the middle to make it 5-3. 

Jason Brooks Jr. brought in Jackson Jones and Ian McMillan to stretch the lead to 7-3 Greensboro.

But Brownsville came back. Angelo Solis' 3-run inside the park home run pulled Brownsville within 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth. Brownsville’s Nathan Alvear scored on a bases loaded walk to tie it at 7-7 and then Brownsville took the lead when Luis Cortez drwe a walk and Jacob Salas scored to make it 8-7 after five.

Greensboro tied it when Nickell Hall hit a leadoff triple and scored on errant throw from right field to tie it at 8-8. 

Brownsville retook the lead, 9-8, in the bottom of the sixth when Jacob Salas' pop up was misplayed, allowing Nathan Alvear to score. 

Vicente Gonalez’ infield hit allowed Roel Gonzalez to score and Brownsville’s lead was 10-8 in the bottom of the sixth. 

Greensboro tied it with two runs in the top of the seventh, but never retook the lead, allowing Brownsville to win it in extras. 

Brownsville improves to 1-2 and Greensboro falls to 1-1. Nightcap coming up between Marion and Covina.

Covina stays undefeated at Colt World Series.

MARION — Covina, California improved to 2-0 at the 2021 Colt World Series with a 6-2 win over Aroma Park, Illinois Saturday afternoon at Rent One Park.

Covina jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks to Ernesto Duenas’ bases-clearing inside the park home run.

Aroma Park got on the board in the bottom of the second when Anthony Blake scored. 

Covina got that run back in the top of the third. Jacob Nguyen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Adiran Morales was forced home to give Covina a 5-1 lead.

Both teams scored a run in the seventh. 

Isaac Nava scored on Mike Bang’s groundout to give Covina a 6-1 lead in the top of the seventh. Then, Logan Savole scored to bring Aroma Park within 6-2 in the bottom of the seventh but it wasn’t enough. 

Bang got the final outs for Covina to seal the win. Aroma Park fell to 0-2. 

Covina will returned later that night to play host Marion in the nightcap game.

The host Marion, Illinois team rallied with eight unanswered runs and held on for a 8-2 win over Brownsville, Texas in the night cap of Day One of the 2021 Colt World Series Friday night at Rent One Park in Marion.

Brownsville (0-2) took an early lead when Max Moreno Jr. and Daniel Guerra scored on Luis Cortez' RBI single. Brownsville, Texas led 2-0 after two innings. 

But Marion rallied with four runs in the top of the fourth. Anthony Bounaure’s RBI triple brought in Owen Cornett to pull Marion within 2-1. Then, Parker Price drove in Bounaure to tie it at 2-2. Price then scored on Trey Cole’s single to give Marion a 3-2 lead. Trey Cole scored to make it 4-2 Marion after 3 1/2 innings.

Marion tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fifth. Aidan Dodson drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Jakob Koehn’s RBI single to give Marion a 5-2 lead.

Marion added three runs in the top of the seventh when Dodson, Jakob Kohen and Bounaure came around to score again. 

Peyton Bittle got the last out for the Marion team (1-0). 

A highlight for Brownsville was Alek Guzman’s web gem, which robbed Trey Cole of a hit and saved at least two runs. 

Greensboro, North Carolina was clicking on all cylinders in their first game of the 2021 Colt World Series Friday evening at Rent One Park in Marion. 

Three Greensboro pitchers combined on a no-hitter, while the offense put up 10 runs en route to a 10-0 five-inning win over Aroma Park, Illinois in Game Two.

Greensboro scored all the runs it would need with two runs in the bottom of the first. Ethan George was hit by a pitch and came around to score and then Ian McMillan, fresh off striking out the side in the top half of the inning, hit an inside the park homer to the right field corner to make it 2-0 after one.

Nickell Hall singled and Isaiah Brown brought him home with an RBI triple to give Greensboro a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. 

Bailey Wray's sacrifice fly brought home Brown to give Greensboro a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second. 

George singled and came around to score to make it 5-0 Greensboro in the bottom of the second. Hall walked and scored on Bailey Wray's RBI single to give Greensboro a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the third. 

George doubled in Wray to make it 7-0 Greensboro here in the bottom of the third. Jackson Hill's bloop single drove in McMillan to give Greensboro an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Brown drew a based-loaded walk, which forces in Jason Brooks Jr. to make it 9-0 Greensboro in the bottom of the fourth. 

Timothy Ralley Jr. reached and scored on a passed ball to to put Greensboro ahead 10-0 and put the 10-run mercy rule into effect. 

McMillan, Kelton Fuquay and Jasean Brown combined for a no-hitter for Greensboro, which is 1-0 in the Colt World Series. Aroma Park is 0-1.

Covina, California scored early and often en route to a 14-4 win over Brownsville, Texas in Game One of the 2021 Colt World Series at Rent One Park in Marion Friday afternoon. 

Covina jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the first to take control. Martin Hernandez, Adrian Morales and Efrain Miranda all reached. Andres Flores drove in Hernandez and Morales to put Covina on the board, 2-0. Tyler Tancredi’s sacrifice fly brought in Miranda to make it 3-0 and then Flores raced home on a passed ball to make it 4-0.

Covina kept adding to its early lead when Ernesto Duenas reached and Aiden Trejo scored to make it 5-0. Isaac Nova scored on a passed ball to put Covina up 6-0. Duenas scored when Miranda drew a bases loaded walk to make it 7-0 after one inning of play.

Covina tacked on a run in the bottom of the second when Flores scored on a passed ball. Covina also scored twice in the bottom of the fourth when Hernandez drove in Nava and Joel Moreno with a 2-RBI triple to make it 10-2. Hernandez later scored to make it 11-2. 

Covina scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to close out the win. Nava reached on a wild throw at first, allowing Aiden Barcelo and Deigo Estrado to score and then Joel Moreno capped it off with an RBI double to bring in Nova for the win. 

Duenas was outstanding on the mound for Covina and was later relieved by Moreno, who closed it out. 

Covina improves to 1-0 in the CWS. Brownsville falls to 0-1.