BANGOR, Maine – The Asia-Pacific regional champion Southern Mariners L.L. from Melbourne, Australia, survived elimination from the Senior League World Series on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over U.S. Southwest regional champion Capitol Park L.L. from San Antonio, Texas, in a game that went down to the last out.
After being shut out and trailing Capitol Park L.L. by a run for the first five innings, Southern Mariners L.L. finally got on the board.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Jordan Barnett walked and advanced to second on a single from third baseman Josh Meyer. Barnett stole third during the at bat of Australian teammate Jackson Boyd, which allowed Meyer to take second and put two runners in scoring position.
“We had to take a risk. We needed to get on the board. We were running out of time,” said Southern Mariners L.L. coach Brendan Wilson.
Boyd popped out to Capitol Park L.L. reliever Derek Klosowski for the second out of the inning. Southern Mariners L.L. catcher Ciaran Palmer hit an infield single in the next at bat that scored Barnett. An off-target throw to first on the play allowed Meyer to score the go-ahead run.
“I was just trying to put the ball in play and score a run for the boys,” said Palmer.
The Australians, with Barnett pitching, were able to get the first batter of the seventh inning to ground out, but right fielder Matthew Castro doubled to right-center field to put the tying run in scoring position for Capitol Park L.L.
Isaac Velasquez popped out to Barnett for the second out of the inning, bringing shortstop Jalen Battles to the plate.
Battles hit a line drive single up the middle that was fielded by Aiden Willis. Castro took off from second, rounding third and being waved home by manager Edward Perez. Willis fired the ball home, reaching Palmer in time to tag Castro for the final out of the game.
“It was a wonderful feeling seeing the ball get to the plate and Ciaran tagging him out. I just thought that we could keep playing,” said Willis. “It’s the only thing that I did for my team, and I’m just glad I did it.”
“I would think 99 percent of coaches would send them in that situation, knowing that their reliever is so effective and that you’ve got to capitalize on that base hit to center field from Battles,” said Capitol Park L.L. manager Edward Perez.
Capitol Park L.L. took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Battles scored on a sacrifice fly from Zach Perez.
Jayson Arthur started on the mound for Southern Mariners L.L., allowing one run on one hit and five walks in four and a third innings. Barnett threw two and two thirds shutout innings of relief, allowing only one hit.
“In the first inning I was really nervous, and it was sort of getting to me a little bit,” said Arthur. “But then I finished up the first inning, came back in the dugout, just regathered, went out there and did what I did.”
Luis Galvin pitched the first five and a third innings for Capitol Park L.L., allowing only three hits to the 21 batters he faced. Klosowski allowed two hits in two thirds of an inning.
“We got everything we wanted to get out of him [Galvin], plus more,” said Perez.
With the loss, Capitol Park L.L. is eliminated from the tournament, but will play a consolation game against Europe-Africa regional champion Catalunya L.L. from Barcelona, Spain at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The Texas team lost their first game against Maine District 3 champion Bronco-Hermon L.L., 9-8, on Sunday, and won an elimination game against U.S. East regional champion Clifton American/National L.L. from Clifton, New Jersey, 12-1, on Monday.
Catalunya L.L. was eliminated after losing to U.S. Central regional champion Clear Ridge L.L. from Chicago, 6-0, and Canadian champion Kiwanis National L.L., 1-0.
Southern Mariners L.L. will play the loser of game 11 between Clear Ridge L.L. and Latin America champion Roberto Clemente L.L. from Carolina, Puerto Rico at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Southern Mariners L.L. lost to Clear Ridge L.L. on Monday, 13-8.
