Pittsfield Falls in Extra Innings to Start Little League State Tourney
HOLDEN, Mass. -- The Bridgewater American Little League All-Stars Thursday scored three runs in the top of the seventh and went on to a 15-14 win over Pittsfield in the first round of the State Tournament.
Pittsfield scored twice in the extra inning and had the winning run on base when Bridgewater's pitcher got a ground ball out to end a back-and-forth contest.
Bridgewater started the high-scoring game with three in the top of the first, but Pittsfield answered with five in the bottom of the frame.
Bridgewater then scored four in the top of the second to go ahead by two, but Pittsfield scored another five in the bottom of the frame for a 10-7 lead.
Then things quieted down until Bridgewater scored five in the top of the sixth to go up, 12-10, but Pittsfield rallied to stay alive.
With two out and runners at second and third with his team down two in the bottom of the sixth, Mason Fox singled to left field to score Chase Albano and Brody Hamilton to tie it.
Bridgewater then got four hits in the top of the seventh, taking full advantage of the "ghost runner" and adding two insurance runs to take a 15-12 lead.
It needed that insurance.
Pittsfield made two outs to start the bottom of the seventh, but one of those outs moved ghost runner Myles Morrison-Gould from second to third.
Sean Rozak then singled to center field to drive in Morrison-Gould, making it 15-13.
Maizen Erichetto singled to get Rozak to third, and he scored on William Knauth's single to center to get Pittsfield within a run.
But that is where it ended after Bridgewater reliever Calvin McGough came on to get the final out.
Fox and Knauth each went 3-for-4 to lead Pittsfield at the plate. Rozak and Colton Smith each had a pair of hits, and Morrison-Gould doubled.
Four Pittsfield pitchers combined to strike out six hitters. Carmelo Coco and Hector Reyes-Colon combined for 2 and a third innings of scoreless relief.
Pittsfield now will face Boxford, an 8-2 loser Thursday to West Roxbury's Parkway All-Stars, on Friday at 5 p.m. in an elimination game.
