The teams from San Antonio, Texas and Clifton, New Jersey faced off in an elimination game at the Senior Little League World Series Monday night. Photo by Chris Lessner.
BANGOR- The Capitol Park Little League from San Antonio, Texas got a strong pitching performance from starter Austin Vaughan and pounded out 13 hits to defeat Clifton American/National Little League from Clifton, New Jersey 12-1 in a mercy rule shortened five inning Senior Little League World Series game Monday night at Shawn T. Mansfield Stadium.
Capitol Park scratched across a run in their first at bat on no hits in the top of the opening inning. Jalen Battles led off with a walk and the advanced to third base when Clifton pitcher Anthony Delgado threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt at first base. Battles would then score on a wild pitch to make it 1-0.
A two run single by Luis Galvan made it 3-0 in the second and Caimyn Holiday added a soft line drive RBI single to make it 4-0. A wild pitch and a Clifton error in the third made it 5-0 before RBI hits from Aaron Valdez, Vaughan, Derek Klosowki and Matt Castro made it 9-0 in the fourth.
Clifton American/National Little League got their lone run on a infield single Mike Algieri that scored Brandon Pena.
Vaughan went three plus innings to get the win on the mound as he allowed no runs, four hits, walked two, and struckout three. Anthony Delgado suffered the loss going just 1.2 innings and allowed four runs, four hits, walked three and struckout three.
Capital Park advances to play the Southern Mariners Little League from Melbourne, Australia on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Clifton, New Jersey will play a consolation game on Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m.
Capitol Park manager Edward Perez said after the game, “Well these guys like to play with their backs against the wall and they tend to step forward and play almost a perfect game when it’s a win or go home scenario. The boys play and I just try to coach a little bit but they execute and do what they need to do to help us win”.
CAPITOL 1 3 1 4 3- 12 13 0
CLIFTON 0 0 0 1 0- 1 6 4
WP- Vaughan LP- Delgado
Left on base- Capitol Park 7, Clifton 6
