ELKHART — Sometimes all it takes for a hitter to break out of a slump is a little reminder about doing the simple things.

Goshen Little League major baseball all-star Joey Peebles got such advice from his coaches and broke out of a slump with three hits, including a two-run home run, leading Goshen to an 8-5 win over Edwardsburg in the District 14 Tournament championship game Sunday afternoon at Osolo Little League.

Peebles slugged his homer in the top of the second inning to tie the score 2-2 after Blake Anderson’s two-run shot for Edwardsburg in the bottom of the first.

“The coaches gave me some tips that really helped,” Peebles said. “They told me to step back off the plate and to wait on the pitches. When I saw the ball go over the fence I thought I had finally gotten out of my slump.”

It was his first home run of the all-star tournament.

“The kids rallied after we got down,” Goshen manager Jeff Wertz said. “At this point of the tournament we have the mental toughness to handle being behind.”

Peebles also doubled in the fourth and singled in the fifth. Edwardsburg never retired him as he reach base safely on a fielder’s choice in the sixth. That’s a lot of offensive output from your ninth-place hitter.

“One good thing about our lineup is we have power at every spot in the order,” Wertz said. “Today it was his turn to come up big. The next game it might be someone else.”

Goshen had previously defeated Edwardsburg 23-7 in the tournament.

“We knew Edwardsburg was going to play us tough,” Wertz said. “I was very impressed by their attitude and by their bats. Edwardsburg has great coaches and the kids were real sportsmen.”

Wertz knew if his team stuck with the game plan they could recover from being down by two runs following the first inning.

“The game plan called for good pitching, solid defense and great batting,” Wertz said. “We knew it we did all of those things we would be OK.”

Edwardsburg took a 3-2 lead in the second and the score remained that way until the fourth when Goshen scored five runs. Key hits in the frame were a two-run single by Eliot Nafziger and run-scoring singles by William Koshmider and Robby Riegsecker.

Goshen added a solo run in the fifth as Philip Wertz’s single drove home Peebles.

Defense also played a role in the victory as second baseman Manuel Castillo made a couple of diving catches on fly balls into shallow right center.

“Manny has been on fire with his glove in the tournament,” Wertz said.

Another player the manager highlighted was center fielder Alan Rivera.

“This is the first year he made the all-stars,” Wertz said. “Now the way he is hitting the ball and using his glove in center I can’t afford to take him out the game.”

Edwardsburg got within three runs in the bottom of the sixth when Chris Dean belted a two-run homer. Goshen ended the game with another defensive play by throwing a runner out at third base.

“That was a tough way for Edwardsburg to see the game end,” Wertz said.

Goshen now moves on to the state tournament to be played next weekend at Osolo.

“We made the state tournament a year ago,” Wertz said. “We made it out of pool play, but I don’t think we were quite ready for state. This year I think we are better prepared. These kids have worked hard over the last four years.”

Peebles was on last year’s team.

“I think we have a better team this season,” he said. “Our hitting is better and our pitching faster.”



Linescore

Goshen                    020     510 — 8-13-2

Edwardsburg         201     002 — 5-7-3

Pitching: (Goshen) Philip Wertz, Eliot Nafziger and Robby Riegsecker combined for six strikeouts and one walk. (Edwardsburg) Jaxon Disher and Jarrett Tighe combined for one strikeout and three walks.

Hitting: (Goshen) Joey Peebles home run, double, single, two RBI; William Koshmider two singles, RBI; Noah Caouette two singles; Robby Riegsecker single, RBI; Philip Wertz single, RBI; Eliot Nafizger single, two RBI; Manuel Castillo single, Jose Pizana single, Alan Rivera single (Edwardsburg) Chris Dean home run, double, two RBI; Blake Anderson home run, two RBI; Nick Bradley double, Zach Priebe double, John Sieda single, Layne Tinkham single.