Dover wins Cal Ripken World Series opener: Owen Lovering's walk-off hit and key moments

BRANSON, Missouri — It certainly wasn’t how coach Mike Lynch and the Dover 12-year-old all-star baseball team drew it up, but a win is a win — especially in the first game of the Cal Ripken World Series.

After giving up a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning, Trey Longuil scored on a two-out Owen Lovering’s infield single to third base in the seventh, and Dover walked off with a 5-4 win in the first game of pool play.

“It’s always good to start these tournaments off with a win,” Lynch said. “We had a little bit of a breakdown defensively in the sixth inning, and we have some things to work on, but we’re 1-0. It’s a great spot to be in. We know we have better baseball ahead of us.”

Here's a look at the key moments in the Dover victory and what it means:

How Dover set up its walk-off win

After Lovering got Boonsville in order in the top of the seventh, Longuil started the Dover seventh with a walk. He stole second, advanced to third on Connor Lynch’s groundout to first, and scampered home on Lovering’s game-winning hit.

“When (Lovering) puts the ball in play on the ground, with his speed, he puts a lot of pressure on the other team,” coach Lynch said. “Credit to Trey to starting it off with a great at-bat and Owen did what he needed to do and got the winning run in.”

Lovering earns the victory in relief

Lovering, in relief of Ben Cheek, pitched the final two innings. He allowed three unearned runs on three hits and one walk, striking out one.

Cheek allowed just two hits over five innings, striking out 11, walking two and giving up just an unearned run in the fourth. He left the game after throwing 83 pitches, 56 for strikes.

“For my money, Ben is one of the most dominant pitchers in New England,” coach Lynch said. “We turn to him when we need a win. You want to start these tournaments off with a win. He threw well today. He wasn’t hitting corners, he was blowing fastballs by kids. Even though they knew (the fastball) was coming, they couldn’t touch it.”

Cheek had two hits and three RBIs to lead Dover offensively. Camden Stowell also had two hits, while Longuil, Lovering, and Desmond Fennessy all had one.

What lies ahead for Dover?

Dover resumes its five-game pool play schedule on Saturday against Black Hills, Washington, the Pacific Northwest champion, on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EST.

Dover will play West Raleigh, North Carolina on Sunday (3 p.m.), Flood City, Pennsylvania on Monday (8 p.m.), and Windsor, California on Tuesday (10 a.m.). All times are EST. 

The top two teams from each pool advance to the single-elimination championship round which begins Wednesday.

The winner of the United States bracket faces the International bracket champion for the championship.

The championship game is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 12.

Cheek dominant on mound

Cheek struck out the side in the second inning, and fanned two in each of the other four innings he pitched for a total of 11.

“We wanted to make sure we got a win to start, and that’s why we rolled out with Ben,” coach Lynch said. “He was great, he was fantastic, and he kept us in the game when we didn’t have our best offensive night.”

Cheek thought he was “pretty good.”

“I think my fastball was good, and my off-speed was good, too,” Cheek said. “It’s great starting with a win. (Boonsville) was pretty good. They battled.”

Lovering replaces Cheek on the mound

Lovering and Cheek flipped spots in the field for the sixth, with Cheek moving to shortstop, and Lovering going to the mound.

Lovering struck out the first batter he faced, and induced a comebacker for the second out.

Tim Kempf then reached on an error and two singles loaded the bases. Two runs came in as Lovering’s full-count offering went to the backstop. Missouri tied the game with two runs on another Dover error, but Lovering got the third out, picking off the runner at second base.

Dover adds to lead in the fifth

Dover, thanks to two runs in the third, took a 2-1 lead in to the fifth. Fennessy started the Dover inning with a single to left and was lifted for pinch-runner Jack Calhoun. Calhoun advanced to second on Matthew Maroon’s sacrifice bunt.

Longuil’s single to right put runners on first and third with one out. Longuil then stole second base without a throw.

Cheek brought both Calhoun and Longuil home on a double to left, giving Dover a 4-1 lead. Cheek advanced to third on Lynch’s groundout to first. Lovering flied out to right to end the inning.

Dover strikes first in the third

Maroon drew a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error.

One out later, Cheek’s infield single to shortstop scored Maroon for the game’s first run.

Cheek stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Cheek scored on Lynch’s groundout to second base, increasing Dover’s lead to 2-0.

Boonville cuts Dover lead in half

Cheek struck out the first batter of the fourth inning, his eighth of the game. He walked the next batter, Tom Schuster, who came around to score on a groundout to first. Cheek fanned the next batter to end the inning.

Cheek, after allowing the unearned run in the fourth, continued his dominance in the fifth. He struck out first two batters of the inning. The next batter, Xavier Leonard, reached on a bunt single, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Leonard tried to steal home, but was tagged for the final out of the inning, and maintaining Dover’s 2-1 lead.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Dover opens Cal Ripken World Series with win over Boonville, Missouri