The Newton SouthEast Little League All-Star team faced five straight must-win games on its route to the District 10 Championship.
After Thursday night?s 4-1 loss to East Boston in the Section 3 tournament, SouthEast now faces two more must-wins in a row if it is to play in next weekend?s state Final Four in West Roxbury.
SouthEast had rallied from behind six straight times for victories ? including Wednesday?s 4-3 triumph in the Section 3 opener against Walpole National ? but was unable to make it seven in a row Thursday against an East Boston squad coming off a 23-0 loss to Medford National the night before in Medford.
With all four teams now 1-1 in the tournament ? Walpole used a seven-run fourth inning to get by Medford, 9-2, in Thursday?s early game ? it comes down to win-and-advance in both Friday games. Newton SouthEast will face Medford National in the early game at 5:30, with Walpole National meeting East Boston in the late game.
After SouthEast threw a runner out at the plate for the second straight night in the first inning on Thursday, East Boston did break through for a run on an infield single and put SouthEast in its familiar trailing position early in the game.
As usual, SouthEast responded to the challenge with a run in the top of the second as Matthew Beckles singled, Jake Freudberg ran for him and moved to third on a Brett Goldstein single. Goldstein then stole second base ? putting runners on second and third with no outs ? before a strikeout and pop out threatened a squander.
But Adam Freedman came through with an infield single and the teams were knotted at 1-1 through the top of the second.
East Boston retook the lead on a home run in the bottom of the second. SouthEast looked to have something going in the top of the third as Brandon Lee singled and Brad Genser?s double had runners on second and third with one out. But a pop out and flyout ended that threat, and East Boston stretched its lead to 4-1 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third.
Freedman hit a two-out single in the fourth inning, and Zeke O?Connell?s single after Lee was hit by a pitch had two on with no outs in the fifth, but SouthEast couldn?t summon the late magic that it had conjured up so many times in the previous 10 days.
If SouthEast wins on Friday, it will face the winner of the nightcap between Walpole National and East Boston in the Section 3 title game Saturday afternoon in Westwood (time TBA).
The winner of that game advances to the state tournament to be held at Praught Field in West Roxbury.
Scott Souza can be reached at 781-398-8006 or ssouza@wickedlocal.com.
unc asheville stephen jackson marchmadness mike d antoni nba trade rumors desean jackson 2012 ncaa tournament schedule
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন