Larry H. Miller has been riding Peter Meredith's arm from the starting gate at the International Softball Congress World Tournament. Meredith has been almost unbeatable.
Saturday night, Meredith hurled a one-hitter in shutting down the Decatur (Ill.) Pride, 1-0, to keep Miller Toyota alive in the ISC World Tournament.Miller Toyota will play the Toronto Gators Sunday at 11 a.m. (MDT) and the winner will meet Sioux City's two-time defending champions National Health Care Discounters for the ISC championship at 1 p.m. (MDT).
The worst Miller Toyota can finish in the ISC is third, which would equal their best finish in the tournament. In 1990, at Victoria B.C., Miller Toyota finished third.
"It's just my job," said Meredith, who continued to add to his career ISC Tournament record with 42 wins. "I just try to go out and give it my best. I just take it inning by inning. That's all I've done in this tournament.
"But it really shows a lot of character from our club to comeback in the loser's bracket like we have."
Meredith is 6-1 in the tournament. He pitched two games Saturday, fanning 27 hitters and only giving up four hits.
He now has 85 strikeouts, 16 hits and an ERA of .080. The only game Meredith had lost in the ISC was to Decatur, 1-0, and so he got his revenge.
Roberts' RBI single scored Brian Lehrman, who had walked, with the winning run in the sixth inning against Decatur.
Miller Toyota 3, Waterloo 2
Miller Toyota literally stole one to advance into the ISC's Final Four.
Miller Toyota coach Gary Cleverly pulled one out his hat by substituting Keith Lopati, the former U. of Hawaii running back, as a runner in the seventh inning for Gordon Eakin, who led off the inning with a single.
Lopati went to second on Brad Burrup's sacrifice bunt. Then he created a run with a timing steal of third base. Lopati had noticed that Waterloo catcher Craig Crawford was taking him for granted at second base.
Once Crawford nonchalantly tossed the ball back to pitcher Dan Yantzi, Lopati stole third.
Then, Brandon Burt followed Lopati's steal by bouncing a ball high to the infield grass, scoring Lopati.
But once again, Meredith, who was touched for only three hits, including a home run by Mike Pedersen, kept his club in the game until the Murray-based team could pull it out. Meredith fanned 15, while walking only two in posting his fifth ISC win.
Miller Toyota scored twice in the sixth inning to tie the score. Brian Lehrman followed Tommy Gray's single with a double. Gray scored on Lance Pratt's sac-fly, and Lehrman tied it by scoring in Ken Eriksen's infield out.
Miller Toyota 5, Madison, Wisc. 1
For the second straight day, in a late game Friday night, Miller Toyota eliminated one of the ISC World Tournament host teams.
Meredith struck out 12 and limited the Farm to only three hits.
Miller Toyota responded with a three-run first inning. Eriksen's two out single to left was followed by Steve Roberts' walk, and shortstop Eakin contributed a double, scoring Eriksen.
Burrup, who had three RBI on two hits, got a single to score both Roberts and Eakin.
Lehrman's RBI single in the second inning scored Randy Ward, who had singled to lead off the inning.
Eakin had two hits to continue his hot hitting. He has gone 6-for-14 in the tournament.
Five Larry H. Miller Toyota players - Peter Meredith, Gordon Eakin, Brad Burrup, Brian Lehrman, and Stephan Glasker - have to selected to represent the United States at the Pan American Games in Monterey, Mexico, Oct. 10.
The five were chosen by their play in the recent United States Olympic Festival in San Antonio, Texas, in July. Miller Toyota finished second in the Festival.
The players were notified of their selection at the ISC World Tournament Saturday.