White leads offensive showcase as Gorman holds off League City

T.J. White and Bishop Gorman’s American Legion baseball team had an awfully good offensive day Friday.

The Titans needed it.

White was 6-for-7 with six runs scored and five RBIs as Gorman overcame seven errors to top League City (Texas), 23-20 in the American Legion Western Regional in Fairfield, Calif.

Gorman pounded out 25 hits and led 21-8 going into the bottom of the seventh. The Titans were one out away from ending the game by the 10-run rule when League City’s Chris Morales smacked a three-run home run to make it 21-12. League City added four more runs in the inning, then scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to 21-19.

The Titans made three errors in League City’s eight-run seventh inning.

“We had the game in the bag pretty much,” Gorman coach Nick Day said. “We walked a few guys, we couldn’t throw strikes and then they hit a homer and all of a sudden they’re back in the game.”

Erik Van Meetren and Kenny Meimerstorf each had an RBI double for Gorman in the ninth to give the Titans a little extra cushion.

“Our guys responded, too, so that was nice to see,” Day said,

League City had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but White struck out Zack Gibson with the bases loaded to end the game.

Four Gorman pitchers combined to give up 14 hits and 14 walks. They also hit two batters.

White threw the final two innings to close out the game. He allowed two earned runs on three hits, but was able to preserve the lead. It was his first pitching appearance of the summer.

“Things got a little heated and he wanted the ball,” Day said. “I’m not going to turn T.J. down when he asks to throw.”

Gorman (44-8-1) improved to 2-0 in the tournament and playsFairfield (Calif.) at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Titans trailed 4-3 after one inning, but appeared to take control with a 10-run second.

Gorman had nine hits in the second, including a two-run home run by White, to take a 13-4 lead. The Titans also got two-run doubles from Michael Blasko, Johnny Sewald and Cody Roper in the second.
White had an RBI single in the first and RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth innings.

A.J. Van Meetren and Roper each went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, and Michael Blasko was 2-for-4 with four RBIs.

Erik Van Meetren was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Sewald scored four runs for Gorman.