PACIFIC GROVE

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31

Jul, 2017

AFCA (Chicago), Illinois wins Bronco-11 World Series

It was a wild Sunday at Harry G. Daniel Park at Ironbridge in Chesterfield, Virginia, as five thrilling games were played, culminating in a Bronco-11 World Series championship game featuring two heavy weight contenders. After a 10-5 day two loss to East Zone Champion Western Branch (Chesapeake), Virginia, West Zone Champion and 2016 Mustang World Series Champion Simi Valley, California battled and clawed its way through the loser's bracket, picking up two hard-fought victories over Western Branch along the way, to meet up with undefeated North Zone representative and 2016 Mustang World Series participant AFCA (Chicago), Illinois. 

In a game that came down to the final out for Simi Valley, down a run after a three-run comeback, AFCA picked up the strikeout it needed in the last at-bat to win its first-ever Bronco-11 World Series title. It is the first time that a team from PONY's North Zone has ever won the event since the tournament's inception in 2009.

AFCA (Chicago), Illinois 11 Simi Valley, California 10

After beating Western Branch (Chesapeake), Virginia in a rematch Game #11 Sunday afternoon 13-4, West Zone Champion Simi Valley, California picked up steam beating the East Zone Champions once again in an "if necessary" Game #13 Sunday evening 9-7 to advance to the title game. In the lower region of the bracket, North Zone representative AFCA (Chicago), Illinois outlasted its competition, beating Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico 10-5 in the semifinals Sunday afternoon to reach the finals of the Bronco-11 World Series against Simi Valley.

AFCA got off to a solid start in the top of the second inning, when it scored five runs thanks to a Zion Rose three-run home run and a Robert Tate Jr. RBI single, which scored Amir Gray. Simi Valley combatted the deficit by scoring a run apiece in the second through fourth innings and quieting the AFCA bats.

But Chicago broke through once again in the top of the fifth, this time manufacturing three runs, and the squad appeared to take control of the game by the end of the top of the sixth, when it commanded an 11-3 lead.

Simi Valley went to work in the bottom of the sixth, as the first three batters loaded up the bases, and then Trevor Hansen walked to score Noah Onoye. After a strikeout, Grant Rodriguez also walked to score Brady Francisco. Joseph Blank recorded a two-RBI single to score two more base runners, but the Californians ended the inning with strikeouts, unable to add on (11-7 AFCA).

AFCA left the bases loaded stranded in the ninth, but a four-run advantage proved to be all the run support it needed going into the final frame.

Timothy Allison relieved Deion Johnson on the mound to close, and he got Onoye to ground out for the first out of the inning. But Francisco ignited his team thanks to a solo shot on the second pitch he saw from Allison to make it 11-8 (AFCA). Grayden Lucas then hit a single. Trevor Hansen doubled, scoring Lucas, and Hansen advanced to third on the throw.

Allison recorded a strikeout, leaving his squad one out to get to win the title with a two-run lead. On the third pitch of the next at-bat, Hansen scored on a passed ball to get his team within a run, but Allison blew two strikes by to win the game 11-10 for AFCA.

AFCA's one, two and three-hitters of Rose, Gray and Tate Jr. combined to record 10 of the team's 13 hits on the night. The trio scored five runs and RBI in the game. For Simi Valley, Blank paced his team with three hits, while four players recorded multiple runs scored in the game. Hansen and Blank each had two RBI.

The win secured AFCA's first-ever Bronco-11 World Series title. It was the first time that a team from PONY's North Zone has ever won the event since the tournament's inception in 2009.

Stats (AFCA-Simi Valley): HERE

Semifinals Stats (Simi Valley-Western Branch): HERE

Semifinals Stats (AFCA-Tijuana): HERE

Game #11 Stats (Simi Valley-Western Branch): HERE

Game #10 Stats (Tijuana-Chesterfield): HERE

Game #9 Stats (Simi Valley-San Benito): HERE

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