Clear Ridge celebrates after winning a semifinal game at the Senior League World Series.
BANGOR- Clear Ridge L.L., from Chicago, Illinois outscored opponents 30-9 in their first three games at the Senior League World Series. The domination continued on Thursday afternoon for the U.S. Central regional winner.
Gage Olszak pitched 6.2 innings, allowing only four hits and one walk, while striking out five in leading Clear Ridge to a 7-0 victory over Dumfries, Virginia in a semifinal contest at Mansfield Stadium. Olszak missed the complete game due to coming out after reaching 95 pitches, which is the pitch limit for the Senior League. An error by Clear Ridge in the seventh inning and Olszak hitting a batter with two outs in the last inning forced the pitching change. Paolo Zavala struck out the final batter to close things out and send the kids from Chicago to the world championship game.
“What was working for me best was my slider, that is what I was striking out all the guys out with. I was beating them a lot inside with the fastball,”Olszak said. “Last inning I was throwing all fastballs so I could get to the last batter.”
Clear Ridge broke a scoreless game in the fourth inning when Tim Malloy single, stole second base, and scored on a single from Dave Navarro. They scored another when Navarro came in on a Dumfries error. Clear Ridge added four more in the fifth inning and one in the sixth inning. The Senior League World Championship game will be televised live on ESPN at 2 PM. They will play either Bronco-Hermon or Southern Mariners L.L., Melbourne, Australia in the title game.
“It is unbelievable,” Clear Ridge manager Mark Robinson said. “This is what we started out for, but you never know if you’re going to get here.”
Navarro added, “I have been watching since I was 12 years old, I always wanted to come here.”
Dumfries left seven on base, including five in the first two innings. They reached the Senior League World Series for the third straight year, and this was the second semifinal appearance. They also reached the final four in 2014.
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