BREWER, Me- The Bangor West All Star Little League needed a win Friday evening to force another game in the championship round of the Maine District 3 All Star ages 9/10/11 Tournament. Behind a combined one hitter from pitchers Teddy Stephenson and Chase Schwartz they did just that, defeating Brewer/Glenburn/Orrington 3-1 in Brewer.
Bangor West took a 1-0 second inning lead when Chase Caron dumped a shallow fly ball into center for an RBI single. They extended the lead to 2-0 in the third when Stephenson also singled in a run with a ground ball base hit to center. Bangor had the bases loaded with noone out looking to further extend the lead, but B/G/O cut down a runner at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch, and then on a fly out to left field the Bangor West runner tagged up early resulting in a double play to end the threat.
Bangor West got their final run in the sixth on an error by B/G/O second baseman Blake Littlefield allowing Stephenson to score. Meanwhile, the pitching for the visitors was solid. Stephenson left after 28 pitches and 1.1 innings, allowing no runs or hits, two walks, and one strikeout. Schwartz didn’t allow a hit in 3.1 innings, until Jaylen Herbert got the first hit with two outs in the fifth. B/G/O (3-1) had two runners on in their last at bat, on a walk and an error on shortstop Stephenson. The hosts got their first run when Lincoln Jordan hit one back through the box that was stabbed by Schwartz, who threw to second for the force, but the throw by second baseman Marc Perron was an errant one allowing a run to score unearned. Schwartz got Zach Wilson swinging to end it. Bangor West with the win redeems themselves with a win over BGO, after they had gotten beaten handily 8-2 by same opponent last Sunday. Both teams with now one loss in the double elimination format will play again Saturday with winner headed to state tournament.
Schwartz went a total of 4.2 innings to get the win, allowing one run (none earned), one hit, one walk, with seven strikeouts. Littlefield took the loss and pitched well in defeat for B/G/O, allowing three runs (one earned), six hits, two walks, with five strikeouts. Littlefield had reached his pitch count after allowing a single and a walk to lead off the sixth, and Jake Perry took over.
A winner take all title game to advance to the state tournament that starts next Saturday, July 21 in Augusta will take place Saturday in Brewer at 12 noon.
BGW 0 1 1 1 0 0- 3 7 2
BGO 0 0 0 0 0 1- 1 1 1
WP- Schwartz LP- Littlefield
