August 17, 2010

Manhattan Beach steps closer to semifinal berth with strong 11-0 win

U.S. West champ is now 3-0 in Pool B

Manhattan Beach, Calif., took a giant step toward clinching a semifinal berth at the 2010 Senior League World Series with an 11-0 win over Saipan Little League in the nightcap of a four-game day, breaking open a close game by scoring nine runs in the fourth inning.

The U.S. West region champs improved to 3-0 in Pool B play and will secure a playoff berth if either Aruba South or Holmes County (Ohio) loses one more game.

Trent Hammond led the Manhattan Beach offense with two singles and a run batted in, while Jackson Lipps smacked a two-run single and Austin Henning drove in a pair of runs.

The offensive support was more than enough for winning pitcher Carter Cassidy, who struck out four and did not walk a batter while allowing a pair of singles to Saipan’s Ricardo Dela Cruz and Gregorio Iskawa.

Manhattan Beach will have Wednesday off before wrapping up pool play on Thursday with a 10 a.m. game against Holmes County, the U.S. Central region champ.

Aruba South bounces back with 17 runs against Holmes County

In the day’s second game, Aruba South recovered from a tough extra inning loss just a few hours before with a resounding 17-1, five-inning victory over Holmes County (Ohio) Little League to improve to 2-1 in Pool B play.

The Arubans were led at the plate by Juan Carlos Moncion (double, two singles, three RBIs), Chadwick Tromp (three singles, three RBIs), Ray Patrick Didder (three singles, two RBIs) Mitchell Martes (three singles, one RBI), who highlighted a 17-hit attack. The Latin American champions also set a Bangor World Series record when six batters were hit by pitches.

The previous hit by pitch record was five, which has occurred three times in Bangor World Series play, the last time on Aug. 26, 2008, when five Pabao L.L., of Willemstad, Curacao, players were hit by East Boynton (Fla.) pitchers.

Moncion, Marc Daniels and Dwayne Luidens teamed up to hold Holmes County to just two hits and one earned run in five innings, walking one and striking out four as a group.

Aruba South, the Latin America champion, will face defending World Series champion West University (Texas), 1-1 in the tournament, in a 10 a.m. game on Wednesday. With a win, the San Nicolas, Aruba-based all-star team can clinch a spot in Friday’s semifinals.

Holmes County averted the shutout in the bottom of the fifth when Bryce Mast, who drew a two-out walk, scored on Richie Mast’s double to left.

Brandon Wengard singled in the second inning for Holmes County, now 1-1 heading into Wednesday’s 1 p.m. game against Saipan LL of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marinara Islands.

Italy records first win, 13-6, over Canada

Lazio, Italy kept its semifinal dreams alive with a 13-6 win over East Park LL of Edmonton, Alberta, racing to a 7-0 lead after 3-1/2 innings en route to the win.

Alessandro Grimauldo (three singles, double, two RBIs), Giacomo Recchioni (three singles), Valerio Lucini (double, single, RBI, two runs scored) and Matteo D’auria (two singles) keyed a 16-hit offense for the Europe-Middle East-Africa regional champions, now 1-2 in Pool A.

Lazio starter Paolo Taschini allowed just four runs (three earned) on four hits in five-and-a-third innings to earn the pitching win.

J.P. Magnan singled home a run in the fifth for East Park L.L. of Edmonton, now 0-3 in Pool A and eliminated from semifinal contention. Taylor Thomas also squeezed home a run during the team’s three-run fifth inning rally, which allowed them to cut the lead to 7-3.

East Park closes its World Series participation with an 8 p.m. game against West University, Texas.

South Vineland tops defending world champ West University

South Vineland, N.J., improved its chances of advancing to Friday’s semifinal with a 9-8, 10-inning win over defending World Series champion West University (Texas) in the most dramatic game of the third day of the 2010 Senior League World Series.

Trevon Potts hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th to score Vaughn Watson with the winning run to cap a tense, nearly three-hour game which featured many lead changes.

West University scored twice in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 7-7, then took an 8-7 lead in the top of the eighth on Bill Munson’s sacrifice fly. South Vineland tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on an Andrew Briggs run-scoring single with two outs and won it in the 10th.

Biggs finished with three singles and two RBIs to lead South Vineland, while Vaughn Watson singled twice and scored four runs and winning pitcher Carlos Lebron smacked a two-run double.

Andrew Dunlap led West University with a three singles and an RBI, while Munson finished with two singles and two RBIs, Andrew Waters (two singles), Reed (two doubles, RBI) and Davis Atkins (two doubles, RBI) provided offensive support.

U.S. East region champ South Vineland will play Maine District 3 champion Bangor East/West in a matchup of 2-0 Pool A teams at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

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