NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The Berkshire Reign exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth and held off the Berkshire Bananas down the stretch to earn a 12-11 win in the 17-and-under Division of the 1791 Classic at Joe Wolfe Field on Saturday.

 

Darius Taliferro hit a three-run double, and Robby Bazinet hit a two-run double in the winning rally as the Reign finished pool play with a record of 3-0 and the top seed in Sunday morning’s semi-finals.

 

Scott Hoffman went 2-for-3 with a triple for the Reign in a wild game filled with momentum swings.

 

The Bananas jumped on top with four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-2 lead only to see the Reign take a slim, 5-4 advantage after three.

 

Then, after the Reign scored seven times in the fourth to take a 12-4 lead, the run-rule was on the table, and all looked lost for the Bananas.

 

But they got off the mat with a five-run rally in the bottom of the fourth and scored twice in the fifth and had the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second in what was sure to be the game’s final inning due to the tournament’s time rule.

 

But Reign reliever Trevor Leonard delivered his only strikeout in an inning and a third on the mound when he needed it most to close the door and secure the win.

 

Back in the first, a two-run single from Weston Wigglesworth gave the Reign a 2-0 lead midway through the inning.

 

But the Bananas took advantage of four walks from Reign starter Jake McAllister, who lasted just a third of an inning. The Bananas cashed in on three of those free passes and got one more run when Ethan O’Donnell drove in Owen KoaMaya to make it 4-2.

 

The Reign erased that deficit two innings later, when Cooper Bunce and Leonard each delivered RBI singles in a three-run rally.

 

In the top of the fourth, the Reign’s bats came alive.

 

Hoffman got the party started with a one-out triple. Joe Hoffman and JJ Schneider each singled, and a couple of errors helped get the rally started.

 

Taliaferro’s bases-loaded blast with two out and the runners going on contact made it 10-4. Three batters later, the bases were loaded again for Bazinet, who doubled to give his team an eight-run margin.

 

The Bananas made a big dent in that deficit in the bottom of the fourth.

 

A walk, a hit-batter and a fielder’s choice put two runners on base for the top of the order.

 

And Lucas Hamilton, Emery Rotter and Andrew Meaney delivered consecutive singles to drive in two runs and load the bases.

 

Gavin O’Donnell’s sacrifice fly made it 12-7, and Ed Ferris dropped a single into right field to make it 12-8 and put runners at the corners with two out.

 

Meaney and Ferris then executed a double steal to get the Bananas within three runs going to the fifth inning.

 

Malcolm Leyda, who took the hill in relief of Bananas starter Ethan O’Donnell to start the fifth, retired the Reign in order and got his team to what would be its final at-bat down, 12-9.

 

Ethan O’Donnell, Patrick Holland and Kingston DeJesus worked consecutive walks to start the inning against Leonard, who had gotten the final out for the Reign in the fourth.

 

O’Donnell was caught stealing for the first out, but Holland scored when Leyda reached on a fielder’s choice that erased DeJesus for out No. 2.

 

Hamilton drew a walk to keep the inning alive, and Rotter (2-for-3) dropped a single into right to drive in Leyda from second. Hamilton went to third on the play, and Rotter took second on the throw, putting two runners in scoring position with two out in a one-run game.

 

Leonard, for the second time in two innings, got the final out with a runner in scoring position to stem a Bananas rally and give the Reign a win.

 

Photos from this game to come.

 

Berkshire Bananas 14, Diamond 17U 3

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshire Bananas put together a dominant offensive performance in its first game on Saturday, pulling away from Diamond 17U for a mercy-rule victory.

 

The Bananas struck first with a run in the top of the first, but Diamond answered with three in the bottom of the frame to take a 3-1 lead 

 

The Bananas quickly answered in the top of the second.

 

Owen Koamaya opened the inning with a single before Jaydon Dimitropoulos drove him home with an RBI double. Patrick Holland followed with a single, and the Bananas continued to pressure the Diamond defense. Lucas Hamilton eventually delivered an RBI double, helping the Bananas take a 5-3 lead.

 

MountainOne threatened in the bottom of the third, but the Bananas defense held firm. Patrick Holland made a strong catch in left field on a fly ball from Paul Moran, and the inning ended without any runs.

 

The Bananas added another run in the fourth when Holland came through with an RBI single. Diamond was unable to answer, with the Bananas defense retiring the side in order.

 

Hamilton continued to lead the Bananas’ offense in the fifth, ripping a triple to put himself in scoring position. Emery Rotter followed with a sacrifice fly, and Andrew Meaney singled later in the inning. The Bananas continued to create pressure on the bases, but Diamond catcher Gavin O’Donnell cut down a runner attempting to advance to third, ending the inning.

 

Then came the decisive sixth inning.

 

Gavin O’Donnell began the inning with a walk before Eddie Ferris drove him home with an RBI triple. The Bananas continued to capitalize on MountainOne miscues, with additional runs coming across on passed balls.

 

With the bases loaded, another run scored on a passed ball to make it 11-3. A sacrifice fly added a run before Rotter delivered the final blow, reaching on a wild throw that allowed two more runners to score. Suddenly, the Bananas had turned a seven-run lead into an 11-run advantage, leading 14-3.

 

Diamond was unable to mount a comeback in the bottom half of the inning. After a walk, the Bananas turned a double play before Josh Cheney grounded out to end the game. 

 

Hamilton was a major catalyst throughout the game, collecting a single, double and triple, while the Bananas received timely production throughout the lineup. Holland also came through with multiple key hits and RBIs, and the Bananas’ defense made several important plays to prevent Diamond from extending its early advantage.

 

After trailing 3-1 early, the Bananas responded with 13 unanswered runs and finished the game in dominant fashion.

 

Berkshire Reign 8, Rip City 16U 7

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Setting a pattern it would repeat later in the day against the Bananas, the Reign held off a Rip City rally in the bottom of the sixth to preserve a one-run win.

 

Rip City scored five times in that sixth inning, but Weston Wigglesworth got a swinging third strike to strand runners at first and second and end the game.

 

Johnny Ireland went 2-for-3, and Cooper Bunce doubled and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Reign’s offense.

 

Sawyer Layne drove in three runs for the Reign, which made the most of its four hits.

 

Five different Reign pitchers went to the mound in the win. Besides Wigglesworth, who retired the only batter he faced, Layne was most effective, striking out five and allowing two runs in three innings to earn the win.

 

Mario Zerbato went 2-for-3 with a double, and Jack Wendling was 3-for-3 for Rip City.