Head coach Ian Griebenow wanted his young BBF Lions to turn up the heat at the plate in the second game of the Babe Ruth 13-16 World Series, and on Sunday he got his wish.
The Lions came out roaring, building a massive 9-0 lead in the first inning, and never looked back as they walloped Colombia, 18-5.
It wasn’t just the bats that were flying, either, as the team rode a wave of fine pitching en route to a handsome victory.
Liam Eneas took the mound for the Lions and was impressive in his debut, with a strike ratio of 73% over two innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.
Eneas didn’t take long to dispatch the top of the Colombian order in the first inning before the Lions tore into their opponents. Ted Conway’s leadoff triple started things off in style, followed by a torrent of hits from Oliver Galvin, Matt Johnson, Jeremy Kirk, Conor Michalowski and birthday boy Thomas Wheeler.
The Lions were rolling and by the end of the second inning, the lead had grown to a staggering 15-0, buoyed by Eneas’ sizzling fastballs, which clocked in as high as 82 mph.
The pitches were coming in hot, befitting the 35-degree Missouri sunshine, and performances from relievers Owen Wagner, Noah McCurdy and Matt Johnson put the cherry on the cake. McCurdy and Johnson recorded two strikeouts each.
Griebenow and his coaching staff couldn’t help but be delighted with what they saw all around the diamond.
“You know, Liam Eneas in two innings – 26 pitches, 19 strikes. That says it. His ability to locate early and keep the hitters off balance is amazing,” said Griebenow.
“When a pitcher gives us a start like that, we get a great platform to build upon. And then the bats came out with some very aggressive base running. Big highlights were Ollie Galvin, 3-for-4, and four RBIs. Kyle Griebenow, 2-for-3, double and a home run, three RBIs. Jeremy Kirk, again, contributing 2-for-2 with an RBI.
“All in all, some really good aggression, giving us 15 hits, and clearing the basepaths with 15 earned RBIs. Limited errors, crisp fielding – outstanding work by everyone.”
Griebenow credited the entire 18-strong squad for their success against Colombia: “The big part is the guys who were on the bench played a massive part, and that is possibly our biggest secret, is that we understand all 18 contribute to a win, and all 18 contribute to helping their teammates, whether they’re pitching, fielding or hitting.”
For Colombia, Sunday’s defeat was the second against a British team in recent years. Great Britain scored a historic comeback victory against Colombia in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, an international tournament that features many of the game’s finest adult players.
The BBF Lions’ next game is Monday afternoon against San Carlos, the Babe Ruth U.S. Southeast regional champions. Temperatures in Branson are predicted to be even hotter, but Griebenow has a positive forecast for his team who came out of Sunday’s dominant victory with a spring in their step.
“I think with the momentum we’re creating, even though the opposition is well ranked, we will have a really good chance with some of our pitching that we have tomorrow. And if the bats continue and we continue fielding, the heat then doesn’t become such a massive factor.
“But other than that, I think the boys are up for it. They’ve shown that they’ve been energetic, and we’re looking to continue the streak.”
The Babe Ruth 13-16 World Series runs until August 16 and brings together champions from across the United States and the globe for one of youth baseball’s most prestigious events. The 2026 competition carries extra significance as the World Series forms part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Babe Ruth League.
If you would like to support the BBF Lions on the their journey you can do so by donating via CrowdFunder