Pittsfield Little Leaguers Force Monday Title Game
HOLDEN, Mass. – Jayden Klinger scored on a wild pitch with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday to give the Pittsfield Little League 10-year-old All-Stars a 3-2 win over Holden and a home game Monday evening for the Section 1 Championship.
Pittsfield, which emerged from the losers bracket of the double-elimination sectional tournament, handed Holden its first loss in three games and gets to play a winner-take-all finale on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Deming Park.
Klinger started the winning rally with a single to right field. Knoxx Daniels moved him to second with a bunt single, and P.J. Garner’s ground ball to the right side put Klinger on third.
One batter later, he raced home on a ball that got to the backstop to give Pittsfield the win.
Luca Bassi went the distance on the mound to earn the win, striking out four, walking one and scattering five hits.
Pittsfield’s nine-hit attack was led by Daniels, Henry Chevalier and Thomas St. John, who each went 2-for-2.
Holden, the designated visiting team from a coin flip, scored first with two runs in the top of the first.
In the bottom of the inning, Pittsfield got a run when Bassi grounded into a double play, and Daniels scored all the way from second base.
One inning later, another groundout – this won from Levi Doyle – led to Braiden Coon crossing home plate to tie the game, 2-2.
The teams then settled down into a pitchers duel, with neither team scoring for three innings until Pittsfield was able to manufacture a run in the bottom of the seventh.
