WESTFIELD – It’s not quite Yankees-Red Sox, but for Tri-County (Maine) and Tri Valley (California), their meetings are quickly becoming quite the attraction.
Cody Allen delivered the shot heard round the Whip City, plating two runs in the top of the seventh with a hard hit ball through the left side to lead Tri-County past Janesville (Wisconsin) 4-2 in a Babe Ruth Baseball 14-Year-Old World Series game Tuesday at Bullens Field.
The win eliminated Janesville, setting up a rematch of last year’s 13-year-old final between Tri-County and Tri Valley, which California won 20-0. Many of those same players currently play for the 14-year-old team.
Tri-County and Tri Valley will meet in the second semifinal Wednesday at 7 p.m. Atlantic Shore (N.J.)-Bismarck (N.D.) will begin at 4:30.
“I think we’re going to come out and play the best we’ve every played in our life, and we’ll get the win,” said Allen, whose team actually defeated Tri Valley early in the opening rounds of last year’s 13-year-old World Series.
Allen may have provided the offensive highlight, but it was starting pitcher Wyatt Williamson who held off a pesky Janesville squad.
Williamson tossed a complete-game, six-hitter. The Tri-County pitcher struck out two batters and walked none.
“I threw a lot of changeups and mixed in a few curveballs,” Williamson said. “I kept the ball low so I got a lot of grounders.”
Williamson said his team will need to a similar effort to advance even further in this year’s World Series.
“We’re going to have to play good to beat (Tri Valley),” Williamson said. “We’re going to have to play our ‘A’ game.”
Tri-County delivered an A-mazing effort against Janesville on Tuesday. The New England Regional champs came out swinging and never looked back.
Charlie Morton roped a double in the game’s opening inning, and Janek Luksza walked in the first inning, but Janesville (WI) pitcher Micah Overley managed to get out of the jam unscathed.
Janesville put two runners on with two outs in the bottom half of the inning with consecutive singles from Eric Hughes and Overley. Williamson responded to the challenge though, keeping the game scoreless.
The teams remained deadlocked early, even matching runs in the third.
In the third inning, Allen reached second base on a two-out error, moved to third on a Jonny Pruett single, and scored on a wild pitch to put Tri-County out front 1-0.
Tegan Christiansen was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom half of the inning for Janesville. Christiansen stole second base, advanced to third and scored on consecutive sacrifices to the knot the game 1-1.
Tri-County responded.
In the top of the fourth inning, Dylan Desroches walked, Cameron Godbois singled, and Ayden DeSanctis advanced the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice. Rodney Bean hit a one-out, sac-fly to help Tri-County reclaim the lead, 2-1.
Janesville’s Dalton Madsen singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Madsen advanced on a sacrifice, moved to third on a Colin Hageman single, and scored on a Christiansen sac-fly to tie it 2-2.
The score remained until Allen’s big hit in the seventh.
CHAMPIONSHIP FREE FOR ALL: Babe Ruth officials have announced that tickets for Thursday’s championship will be free. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. … Also, on Thursday, two-time Olympic women’s hockey silver medalist and Boston Pride defenseman, Kacey Bellamy, will be on hand to meet and greet the public from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Kacey’s sister, Lindsey, will sing the national anthem.
