Punzel's Three Home Runs Lead DC To 14-3 Win

FT. WAYNE, Ind.---They had to wait an extra day to get onto the field, but it was worth the wait as the Delta County Junior Boys (age 13-14) faced the DeSoto, Mo., All-Stars after being rained out of Saturday night's opener.

The DC All-Stars pounded the Missouri State Champions, 14-3, to mark a successful start to the Central Regional Tournament.

Tony Punzel talks to his son Brandon.

Brandon Punzel hit three home runs in his first three at-bats, driving in eight runs, and Hunter Garling added three hits and a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning that ended the game on the mercy rule.

"They did a great job on the offensive side of it today," Delta County Manager Tony Punzel said. "It looked like they were a little rusty on defense (four errors), so we have some more work to do. When you don't play for a while, that's how it gets."

The boys arrived in Ft. Wayne Friday night, but didn't to play on Saturday beacuse of heavy thunderstorms that dumped nearly four inches of rain on the Georgetown Little League Complex.

DeSoto, a small town 40 miles south of St. Louis, had played on Saturday before it rained, and beat the Fargo, N.D., team, 13-12.

Both coaches on Saturday employed a pitching strategy that left as many pitchers as possible available to pitch the next game under Little League Baseball's pitch count rule. Delta County used five pitchers, all of them under 20 pitches.

And so all five will be available to pitch during Monday's doubleheader. DeSoto also used five pitchers, with four of them under that 20-pitch mark and the other at 35 pitches (one days rest).

Jake Peterson started for Delta County.

After Jake Peterson retired the Missouri team in the top of the first inning, Punzel put his team ahead 3-0 with his first home run (after Hunter LaMarch singled and Sean Bissell walked).

In the second inning, Punzel went yard again...this time a grand slam home run on a line drive over the center field fence.

It was the only hit of the inning, as the three guys who scored ahead of Punzel got on base by being hit by a pitch (Bryant Beem), and walked (LaMarch and Bissell).

That shot made it a 7-0 game.

Once Peterson used up his 20 pitches, Punzel came on for his 20, and then Nick Aird tossed 19 pitches. He was the most effective, getting five outs with those pitches.

"I just came in for my 20, and I got almost two innings, I think," Aird said. "I just threw strikes, let them hit it, and let my 'D' work."

Brandon Punzel's third home run.

In the third inning, the Delta County defense sprung a leak, as DeSoto scored a run on two errors behind Aird.

But in the bottom of the inning, Delta County got that run back as Peterson doubled home Aird, who had singled to start the inning.

And then in the fourth inning, Punzel hit his third straight home one. This one was a solo shot, and it was by far his longest of the three.

DeSoto's Matt McClain takes a big swing.

"I guess I was just seeing the ball really well today," Punzel said. "On the last one, I was way ahead of it and I swung and missed. So I got up in the box, he threw me another pitch, and I hit 'er solid."

Beem's two-run single to right later that inning made it 11-1, and it looked like Justin Popelpa would make the game end in the top of the fifth as he kept throwing ground balls.

But two defensive errors behind him, and an RBI single to left field by Daniel Hoss made it 11-3. Logan Lamb came on to pitch and tagged out a base-stealer to end the game.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Bissell walked to lead off. That brought up Punzel, who would have the "home run cycle" if he hit another one (solo, two-run, three-run, and grand slam). But after Bissell stole second, they intentionally walked Punzel.

Hunter Garling's walk-off home run,

Was Punzel looking to hit one out as he was being intentionally walked? Nope.

"I didn't want to make myself look silly out there," Punzel said. "I just kind of let them walk me. I was hoping that I would get a pitch, but I guess I understand the strategy there."

Delta County shortstop Hunter LaMarch.

"Brandon is a gamer," his father and coach Tony Punzel said. "He's been a gamer since he was four years old, we've been playing ball together. He hit the ball well today. On that second one (the grand slam) I told him that I wanted a line drive to center field. And he hit a line drive to center field, it just happened to be in that back yard over there."

He didn't need to. Hunter Garling stepped up and launched a long three-run home run into the neighbor's back yard.

The game ended there on the mercy rule.

Delta County will have to play two games on Monday because of Saturday's rainout.

The boys will face the defending regional champions from North Canton, Ohio, at 10:00, and then they'll take on Fargo, N.D., at about 12:30.

Both games will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), with the pre-game show starting at 9:30. The Internet broadcast on www.rrnsports.com will be joined as soon as the Escanaba Junior Girls game is done. The girls play at 9 a.m. in Akron, Ohio.

Click the thumbnails in the "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box to see pictures and videos taken by Kammie Burks, and audio highlights from the game.