SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Surprisingly, powerful Peabody West hit only one home run during its trip to the Little League World Series.
But what a blast it was.
Austin Batchelor's fifth-inning bomb cleared both fences and went well on to the hill at Lamade Stadium as Peabody West went out with a resounding win, defeating Russellville, Ky., yesterday afternoon, 12-3.
"My last Little League career at-bat and I hit a homer at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport. That's awesome," said Batchelor.
The tape measure round-tripper probably traveled some 270 feet. It was the first ball off a Peabody bat to clear the 225-foot fences in Williamsport, which are 25 feet longer than a typical Little League diamond.
"I've hit a lot of homers, but it was really hard to do it here. Playing on a 225-foot field, you just think about it too much," said Batchelor. "It's easy to hit it more than 225 over a 200-foot fence. I just really needed this one — and it felt awesome."
Batchelor's bomb put the exclamation point on an unforgettable summer for manager and dad David Batchelor, who had a perfect view of the ball's massive trajectory over the left center field wall.
"What a very, very special feeling," said David Batchelor. "To see him homer in his last at-bat, I'm coaching third base so I have a great angle on it. That was very special for me."
Austin Batchelor sparked Peabody's slumping bats, which had scored only one run in Williamsport before yesterday. Batchelor had three hits against Russellville, drove in a pair of runs and scored three times.
He was also credited with the win on the hill, throwing five solid innings and allowing three runs — none of them earned. He also struck out seven.
"I let up a run in the first inning; I don't really think I was focused or throwing as hard as I usually do," said Batchelor. "I knew I had to focus and, as the game went, on I did better."
The highlight of the game, and perhaps the trip to Williamsport, though, was Batchelor's homer. Was it the furthest one the slugger had ever hit?
"Nah, probably not," he said with a coy grin.
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In a classy move, manager Batchelor gave the starting nod to J.J. Layton (third base), Anthony Cravotta (left) and Cody Wlasuk (right) in yesterday's finale.
"They were our subs for most of the time we were together, and that's a tough role," said Batchelor. "It's easy to come to the park playing all the time, and it's tough when you play an inning or two.
"Those guys did their jobs well and they really deserved to start today."
Cravotta came through with an RBI single in the fifth, and Wlasuk and Layton combined to produce the tying run in the second. Layton also made a couple of nice stabs in the hole at third in the first two frames.
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Peabody West got another comeback win, scoring nine times in the third after falling behind 1-0 in the first. It was more of the come-from-behind heroics that the squad made its hallmark at the New England Regional in Bristol, Conn.
"When we're losing, we know that we have to be more alert because we're trying to come back. Maybe we focus more," Matt Hosman said, trying to explain his team's knack for roaring back from deficits.
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Here's a testament to Peabody West's popularity here in Williamsport: their maroon-and-silver T-shirts with "New England" across the chest are completely sold out, the only American team you can no longer purchase a T-shirt of. Only one other team here — Saudi Arabia — has seen its own shirts sold out.
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Hosman said during the New England Regional that his goal for the tournament was to play at least one game on TV. He wound up playing six — including all three at the LLWS on the ESPN family of networks.
The so-called worldwide leader in sports reported that opening weekend coverage of the Williamsport action averaged 1.056 million viewers, an increase of 60 percent from last year.
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Sean McGrath had a great trip to Williamsport, going 5 for 5 to lead the Peabody West kids offensively.
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Yesterday's attendance was 9,100 to bring the three-game total number of fans to watch Peabody West to 32,800. That has to be among the largest crowds ever to watch a team from Peabody do anything.
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Manager Batchelor said that most of the team would depart for Massachusetts with their parents either last night or early this morning.
"These guys have to be at school on Monday, and some of us actually have to get back to work," the manager quipped.
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There were some bittersweet emotions among the Peabody West players as they finished up their Little League careers. It is unlikely this exact 12-man squad will ever play baseball together again as different sports and school choices will send them in various directions.
David Batchelor pointed out that they will be together for various functions and celebrations, such as a trip to Fenway Park on Sept. 12 against the Tampa Bay Rays.
"We'll see each other in school, too, although maybe that's kind of a bad thing," joked Hosman, as he and his teammates prepare to leave summer behind and return to the classroom at Higgins Middle School.
