Slovak Club regained the lead with two runs in the top half of the fifth inning, but the Moose Club defense came up with the outs which gave their bats a chance to win. (Photo by Robby Veronesi)
WESTFIELD – The powerful bats that led Moose Club to a 12-4 record in the regular season and a No. 1 seed in the playoffs came through several times for the red and white.
Brothers Michael and Nick Anciello combined to go 4-for-5 at the plate, scoring four runs while driving in three, and Michael pitched the final inning to earn the save in a wild 9-8 semifinal victory over No. 3 Slovak Club in Westfield Little League Major tournament action at Cross Street Sunday.
“It’s all in the kids,” said Moose Club Head Coach Rob Saunders. “The pitching kept us in the game, but all year long it’s been hitting for us. That’s been our key to winning.”
The two teams traded leads five times, but Moose Club’s three-run fifth inning proved to be the difference in the end. Down 7-6 with two on, Nick Anciello lined a single to plate his brother for the second time in the game. A groundout and a wild pitch drove in the go ahead and insurance runs.
That insurance run proved to be huge for the designated home team. In the final frame, Slovak’s Brennan Jarvis led the top of the sixth with a single and advanced to second base on one of four Moose wild pitches. Down to their final out, Troy Hevey singled to score Jarvis and cut the deficit to a run. Michael Anciello calmed down and retired the side to clinch a spot in the finals.
After allowing five runs in the first two frames, Joey Dekarski settled down and held Slovak Club to four hits over three and one-third innings. Ethan Saunders relieved Dekarski to earn the win, while Anciello recorded the save.
“Joey came out, he was a little wild and he held them,” said Saunders. “He throws the ball hard. Ethan came in (and) he had his own wild moments in his second inning of work (but) he came in and closed out the fourth inning for us on nine pitches, which was great. We brought in Michael to change the speeds up, sometimes that throws the kids off.”
Starting pitcher Jerad Rusin led the way for Slovak Club, going 2-2 from the plate with two runs and an RBI, as well as holding a potent offense to four runs over most of two innings. Rusin’s single in the second inning capped off a four-run inning for the designated visitors, who went on top 5-2 early after defeating No. 5 Advance Manufacturing via mercy rule Saturday afternoon.
Tuesday’s championship will feature the top two teams of this year’s regular season. After a tight 3-0 victory Sunday afternoon, No. 2 Sons of Erin and their stout pitching staff battles the potent offensive lineup of Moose Club at Cross Street Playground.
“We’re going to hope that the pitching we have can keep up with the Sons of Erin pitching,” said Saunders. “They have very good pitchers on that team, a lot of quality pitching.”
