Bronco-Hermon pitcher Zach Nash throws a first inning pitch to Melbourne, Australia batter Josh Meyer during their Senior League World Series semifinal game Thursday night. Photo by Chris Lessner.
BANGOR- The Asia-Pacific champions from Melbourne, Australia shocked the Maine District 3 resprentative Bronco-Hermon on Thursday night by scoring five runs in their last at bat to come from behind for a 7-6 victory in thrilling fashion in a Senior League World Series semifinal played before a full house at Mansfield Stadium.
Bronco-Hermon had built a five run lead in the game at 6-1 after five innings. Alex McKenney started off the scoring with a deep drive to the center field wall in the top of the first for an RBI double to make it 1-0.
McKenney and Zach Nash both had RBI hits in the top of the third and one of two errors in the inning by Australia allowed another run to score to make it 4-0.
Australia broke on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the third when Jordan Barnett hit a long triple to the right field corner and scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.
An RBI single by Alex Applebee in the fourth and a wild pitch allowing a run to score in the fifth gave Bronco-Hermon a 6-1 advantage and all the momentum in trying to become the first Maine team to make the World Title game since Bangor advanced back in 2010.
Australia got a run back in the bottom of the fifth when Aidan Willis lifted a sacrifice fly scoring Jai Lyttleton who had led off with a double to make it 6-2. Bronco-Hermon starting pitcher Nash was knocked out of the game in the sixth inning after going over the 95 pitch mark.
In the bottom of the seventh Lyttleton began the rally with an infield single. After a base on balls to Taj Clayton, Willis delivered a single to left field and Barnett rifled a single to right to make it 6-3. Jack Dunn was the next guy up and he continued the comeback with a two run single to left to make the score 6-5 with still nobody out and runners on first and third.
Applebee was then relieved on the mound by Derek Gendreau. After Dunn stole second base to put runners on second and third, Gendreau struck out Josh Meyer for the first out of the inning. Gendreau then walked Ciaran Palmer to reload the bases. John-Paul Callil was the next hitter and had just entered the game as the DH. Callil chopped a 2-2 pitch from Gendreau to third baseman Rece Poulin who tried to turn a possible double play. Poulin was able to force Palmer at second base but a hard slide stopped any chance at the double play as Barnett came across to tie the game at 6-6, and Dunn never slowed down scoring all the way from second base on the play to give Australia the walk-off win.
Barnett picked up the win in relief for Australia pitching an inning giving up one hit and had one walk. Tim Lane started the game and went 4.2 innings allowing six runs, three earned, 10 hits, three walks and two strikeouts.
Gendreau was the tough luck loser in relief of starter Nash and reliever Applebee. Nash was very solid on the mound for the District 3 champs going 4.2 innings allowing just two runs, four hits, no walks and five strikeouts.
Australia manager Rick Wills spoke about the comeback after the game, “I just said to the guys if everyone gets a hit we win this game. Just pass the buck. Everyone get on, don’t have to do anything special just get on, everyone contribute. Everyone have a good at bat and you never know what can happen. We got the inning off to a good start and it unfolded in our favor. We got lucky to get through that first six innings but there is no greater feeling than walking off with the victory”.
Melbourne, Australia now advances to the World Championship game of Senior Little League baseball on Saturday at 2 pm when it takes on Clear Ridge Little League from Chicago, Illinois who defeated Dumfries, Virginia 7-0 in Thursdays opening semifinal game.
Bronco-Hermon finishes the Senior League World Series with a record of 2-1 with victories over San Antonio, Texas and Wailuke, Hawaii before falling in heartbreaking fashion Thursday night. Manager Matt Kinney spoke about this team after the game, “The kids played good. After the game there isn’t really anything you can say to make anyone feel better when you lose a tough one like that when you are that close to being where you wanna be, but the biggest thing was telling them to keep their heads up. The thing that hurts the most is they took alot of pride in the way they were playing and it meant alot to them and you could see it in their faces. Guys were taking responsibility for that loss, but it’s baseball, stuff like that happens”.
MAINE 1 0 3 1 1 0 0- 6 11 0
AUSTRALIA 0 0 1 0 0 1 5- 7 9 4
WP- Barnett LP- Gendreau
Runners Left on base- Maine 12, Australia 6
