For the first time in program history, London, United Kingdom has won the Pony European Zone Tournament. As the Zone champion, the team will be coming to the DICK’S Sporting Goods PONY League World Series (DSGPLWS) in August.
The team competed against Holland in the championship game, which kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end. The game was tied four runs a piece until the sixth inning when, London took the lead and refused to surrender it.
Django Hendrickson lead off the inning with a single. He stole second before a strike out and gave London its first out of the inning. Matthew Furst knocked a double, scoring Hendrickson from second. Charles Johnson connected on a single before Nitin Rao was intentionally walked. Gavin Crawford then reached on a fielder's choice in which first was forced out at home but Johnson was able to score on an error. Ricky Sumii was walked to load the bases -- again -- and Andrew Painter came through with an RBI single completing the scoring for the inning as London took a 7-4 lead.
Holland refused to quit in the bottom of the sixth Amarensio Franka lead off the inning with a single and advanced to second on an error and then stole third base. Maarten Smit was walked and stole second, putting two men in scoring position. After a ground out, Jamie Beerman hit a RBI single, which scored Franka and moved Smit to third. Ryan Hoogendoorn walked when Borris Hearman came through with a single. On the play. Smit scored but Beerman was thrown out at home, saving the tying run for London. A strikeout ended the rally, as London came out ahead by one run in a 7-6 victory.
UK made it to the championship game untouched, winning all of its qualifying games. London team started the tournament with a strong start on the first day defeating the European Baseball Tour from Czech Republic in a 16-3 game. The second day of the tournament, London clinched victory against both the German Academy in a 9-2 game and Lituania in a 11-1 game. During the third day of the tournament, London continued its winning streak against Israel in a 4-2 game and the German Academy in a 7-0 game.
The European Zone has won two games in DSGPLWS history. In 2013, Paderborn, Germany defeated Washington, Pennsylvania in a 8-1 victory but was defeated by Hilo, Hawaii in the following game. Once again, in 2016, Paderborn faced off with Washington and was victorious in a 12-0 game but was later defeated by Maui, Hawaii in a 9-0 game.
London will be participating in Game #4 of the World Series on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 2:30 p.m. ET/US against the host team, Washington County, Pennsylvania at Lew Hays PONY Field.
For more information about the qualifying teams and the DSGPLWS visit www.plws.org and follow us on social media!