BRADFORD - The Warren Boys Majors Americans all-star team is one victory away from a District 10 North title after an 8-4 victory over the Bradford Americans Monday at Callahan Park in Bradford.
A win to put itself in the driver's seat would've been sweet enough. But the dramatic fashion in which Warren won made things that much sweeter.
Down to their final three outs, Warren exploded for six runs in the sixth inning to put themselves into the D-10 North title contest Saturday at Betts-Jackson Field. The game will start at 2 or 4 p.m. and that time will be announced later this week. Opposing the Americans will be either these same Bradford Americans or Cameron County. Those clubs meet on Thursday. Warren will have to be beaten twice in order to be eliminated.
Article Photos
Times Observer photo by Jonathan McAfoos
A leg up
Warren Boys Majors Nationals pitcher Adam?Irwin deals up a pitch for a Cameron County batter during all-star competition Monday at Betts-Jackson?Field. The Nationals were eliminated from postseason play after a 13-3 loss.
Warren struck first in Monday's back and forth game, plating two runners in the top of the second inning. Aidan Morrison was hit by a pitch and Nathan Betts cracked a two-out RBI triple to start the scoring. Colby Johnson was up next and his double plated Betts to make it 2-0.
Bradford tied the game in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer by Danny Manion and jumped ahead 4-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth. John Eakin drove home the go-ahead run with a double and Eakin soon scored on Sawyer Drummond's base hit to make it 4-2 Bradford through five.
But Warren had one more rally in the tank.
Fact Box
Warren Americans 020 006 - 8 8
Bradford Americans 002 020 - 4 5
2b-Nathan Betts (W), Colby Johnson (W) 2, John Eakin (B). 3b-Betts (W). HR-Danny Manion (B), Drake Gens (W). WP-Betts. LP-Sawyer Drummond.
Cameron County 313 015 - 13 13
Warren Nationals 010 110 - 3 5
3b-Andrew Davidson (W). HR-Bryce Bauer (C), Devon Palumbo (C), Ethan Vislay (C), Shea Garrigan (C) 2, one grand slam. WP-Trystan Reed. LP-Adam Irwin.
Jake Harvey started the sixth with a walk and Morrison and Bryce Cummings followed with singles. Cummings's hit scored Harvey to make it 4-3. Betts next drew a walk to load the bases and Johnson came through with the biggest hit of the evening - a three-run double that put Warren up 6-4.
Drake Gens was up next for Warren and he provided the most powerful blast of the night with a two-run homer that gave Warren a four-run cushion.
Betts took the mound in the bottom of the sixth and recorded a strikeout, a line out to second and a one-hopper back to the pitcher to retire Bradford in order and end the game.
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Cameron County 13, Warren Nationals 3
The Warren Nationals' run through the Boys Majors all-star tournament came to a close Monday after a 13-3 loss to the all-stars from Cameron County.
Playing at Betts-Jackson Field, the visitors played rude guests early on, jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the opening inning. The power display put on by Cameron County was quite impressive. All told, the team mashed five home runs. Those home runs accounted for nine of their 13 runs.
Perhaps no one player had a better night than Cameron County's Shea Garrigan. The junior slugger hit two home runs, including one grand slam.
Just two days removed from scoring 25 runs against the Bradford Nationals, Warren was unable to get any offense going this time around.
Kolten Johnson helped the Nationals get on the board in the second inning when he reached on an error, stole second and third and raced home on a passed ball.
Warren (2-2) added another run in the fourth when Andrew Davidson's deep triple drove home Chase Elmquist and the team's final run came in the fifth when Adam Munksgard singled home Evan Tremblay.