ZANESVILLE — The Mount Vernon 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars are headed for Mattoon, Ill., and the Ohio Valley Regional after winning the 2009 15-year-old Babe Ruth State Tournament on Tuesday night. Mount Vernon run-ruled Guernsey County, 10-0, in five innings at Gant Municipal Stadium in Zanesville.

Mount Vernon got a strong combination of hitting and pitching to secure the win.

“This is absolutely what I expected,” said Mount Vernon coach Bryan Ford. “We were playing at a high level. We had already outscored our opponents, 36-8, coming into this game, and we had just got off a 14-1 beating of (Guernsey County on Monday). I felt like we were very, very confident coming in, and I fully expected us to come out and hit the ball hard today.”

Things got started quickly for Mount Vernon as they scored three runs in the top of the first. Leevi Stump was hit by a pitch to lead off, and following back-to-back outs, Ryan Goetzman walked. Pitcher Shawn Maxwell followed with an RBI single back up the middle to plate Stump, but Mount Vernon wasn’t done there. Brandon Dobbs walked to load the bases, and Kory Shackle followed through with a two-run single to make it a 3-0 game.

From there, Maxwell and the defense took over. Jimmy Antalis doubled with one out in the bottom of the inning, but a nice 8-6-4 relay caught Antalis off the bag at second for an out. Trevor Wilson followed with a single for Guernsey County, but that was the last hit it got in the game. Maxwell got out of the inning on a flyball and got into a groove. He allowed just two base runners in the next four innings, while striking out three.

“I felt real good today,” said Maxwell. “I knew we were going to win. ... We can all hit. Even our bench players contribute. We’re a team.”

“We came out ready to play,” said Shackle. “Shawn (Maxwell) was on his ‘A’ game pitching, and we really hit the ball. ... I knew we would beat them. We were hungry.”

Mount Vernon left two runners on in the top of the second after Nathyn Chilcote led off with a single and Tyler Lewis walked with two out. A pop-up ended the inning, however, and Mount Vernon went quietly in order in the third.

“I thought we were still OK. Shawn is a dominating pitcher,” said Ford. “I just felt like we needed to get a couple of base runners in scoring position and we would break it open.”

That’s exactly what happened in the top of the fourth. Mount Vernon batted around after Nathan Shuman reach on an error to lead off. Chilcote followed with a single, and Stump hit into a fielder’s choice. Shuman bluffed going home, causing a rundown which allowed Stump to reach. Guernsey County catcher Devon Cork tried to get Shuman sliding back into third, but his throw sailed high, landing in left field and allowing Shuman to race home. Chilcote, who moved to third on the fielder’s choice, then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 5-0 game.

“Our base running is excellent; these guys do it on their own,” Ford said. “I don’t even have to say a whole lot. They are heads-up base runners. We are blessed with a lot of speed.”

Riley Swanson followed by hitting into another fielder’s choice, which left Stump out in a rundown at third. Lewis followed with a single to center, scoring Swanson. Goetzman the hit an RBI triple into the right-center field gap to add another run.

Mount Vernon wasn’t done, however. Maxwell reached on a fielding error, allowing Goetzman to score, and Dobbs hit an RBI single to left to make it a 9-0 game. The inning ended after a fielder’s choice by Shackle and a single by Brady Silliman.

Mount Vernon finished the game off in the top of the fifth with a single run, Swanson reached on a one-out error, which allowed him to reach second. He moved to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a single by pinch hitter Tim Rainer.

“I was just looking to get a hit,” said Rainer. “I wanted to help my win anyway I could. ... (Coming off the bench) is fine because I know that everybody can play. I am going to get playing time, and when I do, I need to play my best.”

With the 10-run lead, all Mount Vernon had to do is get through the bottom of the inning. Maxwell notched the first two outs on seven pitches and looked to be in complete control. An error on a hard-hit ball back up the middle, however, gave Guernsey County new life. Maxwell got the final batter to fly out to Shackle in center, however, to end the game.

“I was a little nervous, but I didn’t think they were going to come back,” said Maxwell. “We had a pretty safe lead.”

“This field was weird because you feel like you are playing shallow, but you’re not,” said Shackle. “It is really weird. I got a good jump on the ball because I was used to it.”

With the win, Mount Vernon advances to its second-straight regional, though with a new team and at a new location. Ford is hoping this team performs better than last year’s team did.

“I expect this team to go over there and win it,” said Ford. “Last year’s team was pretty much a one-pitcher dominated team. This year, I’ve got three superb pitchers that will be No. 1s for any high school they will be playing for, and pitching is the key (at the regional level). This team also hits so much better through the lineup. That gives us high expectations.

“This team is extremely focused,” Ford said. “We have a few goof off moments here and there, but these guys are still ticked off from last year’s loss to Youngstown in the state final. That has been their major focus this whole tournament.”

When asked what his expectations were for the Ohio Valley Regional, Maxwell responded, “Win it. We are capable. We just have to go win it.”

“We just have to play our own game,” Shackle said. “There aren’t any other teams we can’t play with. We just have to play our own game and come out ready.”