Adams-Cheshire Blanks Dalton-Hinsdale in Little League Playoffs
ADAMS, Mass. – Lador Lawson Saturday turned in the pitching performance of the Don Gleason District 1 Little League Tournament – so far.
Lawson struck out 11 and scattered five hits in pitching a complete game victory for Adams-Cheshire against Dalton-Hinsdale at Willard “Beaver” Bard Park.
Lawson also helped his cause with a two-run double as Adams-Cheshire picked up its first win of the four-team round robin and set up a game against Great Barrington on Sunday to determine who will face Pittsfield in Thursday’s championship round.
“He’s fantastic,” Adams-Cheshire coach Steve Albareda said of Lawson. “He pounds the zone. He’s the hardest working player I’ve had. He’s mixing in a couple of other pitches, but his fastball is always around the zone.
“To pitch a complete game against a team like Dalton, it’s a very good performance.”
Offensively, Lawson started the game with a leadoff walk and eventually scored on Maddox Milesi’s RBI groundout. Oliver Quinto also reached base and scored on an RBI single from Dennis Wells-Vidal to give A-C a 2-0 lead.
Dalton-Hinsdale starter Sebastian Ricchi ended the first by stranding two runners with the first of his eight strikeouts in 4 and a third innings of work.
But Adams-Cheshire tacked on a couple of runs in the second.
This time, Cooper O’Neill and Lukas Benson each walked before Lawson crushed a two-out, two-run double to center field to make it 4-0.
That was more than enough offensive support the way Lawson was dealing on the mound.
But he also got some defensive support early on.
Dalton-Hinsdale looked to be primed to answer A-C in the bottom of the first inning when Tye Shove led off with a double.
After a ground ball for the first out, D-H’s Ryker Williams ripped a line drive to center field. But Adams-Cheshire’s Colton Braman made a diving catch to save a run and, likely, extra bases.
“That was a massive play,” Albareda said. “Colton’s a very good baseball player. He doesn’t play center field in house league. He’s an infielder and a pitcher. And we put him out there and told him he has to do it, and he’s fantastic out there.”
Lawson got the next hitter on a swinging third strike to end the first – the first of four innings he ended with a strikeout with a runner in scoring position.
His offense gave him one more insurance run without a hit in the top of the sixth. Mason Kucka worked a five-pitch walk and eventually scored on a pitch that got to the backstop.
Dalton-Hinsdale gave its fans some hope with a leadoff infield single by Cade Baillargeon in the bottom of the sixth.
But he was erased when Parker Demarsh reached on a fielder’s choice. Demarsh made it to second base, but Lawson left him there with back-to-back strikeouts to end it.
“I’ve had him all year, so I expect that from him now,” Albareda said of Lawson’s day on the mound. “It’s sad to say, but that’s what I expected.”
Adams-Cheshire (1-1) and Great Barrington (1-1) will play at about 2 p.m.on Sunday, after the first game of the championship round in the 10-and-under division. Dalton-Hinsdale (0-2) will face Pittsfield (2-0) at about 4 p.m.
