Blitz blows out Crush at pool play of Cecil Fielder Elite World Series

Sometimes it's just not your day.

That was the case for the Yuma Crush as they were defeated 15-0 twice by So Cal Youth Baseball and Yuma Blitz Thursday in the opening day of pool play Cecil Fielder 14U Elite World Series.

Yuma Blitz scored seven runs on only three hits in the first inning.

“Unfortunately, we have a lot of experienced players on this team,” said Blitz coach Jerry Molina. “I didn't start my starters today because I knew this team doesn't have the same level.”

After the Blitz's first onslaught of runs, Enrique Porchas Jr. came in to pitch in relief and quickly doused the flaming Blitz offense. Porchas threw three scoreless innings with five strikeouts before allowing three runs in the fourth inning.

“He was just more controlled,” said Crush coach Enrique Porchas Sr. “Throwing it over the middle, letting them put the ball in play. Or if they were being too aggressive, they were just missing. That's just throwing it in the strike zone basically. That's what you want when you get a big inning like that. Instead of walking and making errors, just to have someone come in and throw strikes and get you out of that inning.”

According to Molina, the strike zone Porchas Jr. inherited had grown a little bit larger than the one that the umpire started the game with.

“It's tough to keep the morale up,” Molina said. “In the first inning we scored seven runs, and the second inning we didn't get a run and nothing in the third either because they're trying harder. (The Yuma Crush) are not throwing strikes, and then the umpire starts widening the zone, so he's striking out batters.

“It's tough on them when they want to get a hit, and there's a ball way outside and it gets called a strike. It's tough on the players. It's hard to keep the momentum and enthusiasm up when there's no competition.”

The fire didn't stay put out for too long as Blitz lead-off man Ramon Miranda sparked another rally in the fourth inning with a lead-off inside-the-park home run off Porchas. Miranda also finished the rally, slapping a single to left field to drive in the 15th run of the game, which kicked in the mercy rule. Miranda was a double shy of the cycle.

“He plays in Mexico and he's just an outstanding ballplayer,” Molina said. “Overall he's probably one of our best players. He hits the other way, he hits for power, he hits for average. That's why I have him lead off.”

Blitz pitcher Cameron Sharp had little trouble getting through the Crush lineup. He pitched four innings and allowed only two hits.

“I've known Cameron since he pitched in little league and I've always wanted him on my team,” Molina said. “He's a good little pitcher. He got hit in the ankle, but he pitched pretty well today.”

The hardest thing for a team with limited pitching like the Crush is to not waste the best pitchers in pool play — keeping in mind the health of his young arms is a priority for Porchas Sr.

“You only have 10 innings in three days,” Porchas Sr. said. “You don't want a kid throwing five or six innings and then another five innings the following day. Basically right now we're just trying to get through with pitchers just getting the ball over the plate. Being round robin, it's kind of like practice games. Even though it's how you're going to get seeded, I think since they're going to make the playoffs double elimination since there's only four teams, that's more pitchers you have to use.”

Up next at Desert Sun Stadium, the Crush play Suenos Dorado Baseball Academy at 8 a.m. today and the Blitz face So Cal Youth Baseball at 10:30 a.m.