WESTFIELD – It was nearly one week ago that Sons of Erin suffered a 1-0 loss to McDonald’s to open the Babe Ruth 15-16 City Cup. After avoiding elimination last night, Sons will now need to avenge that defeat – twice.
Sons rallied from a 5-run deficit twice Thursday night to handcuff Police 12-8 at Bullens Field, setting up a rematch with McDonald’s in the finals. They move on Saturday’s championship, where they must now defeat 2-0 Mickey D’s twice in the double-elimination tourney to win the Cup.
Last night, Sons exploded for eight runs in the fifth inning.
Tim Kelleher led off the inning with a triple before scoring on a one-out error. Dom Ceccerini and Colin Dunn walked to load the bases. Aris Larancuent drew an RBI walk. Then, Cam Robitaille launched a bases-clearing double to the base of the left-center field fence to tie the game at 7-7. Brent Houle clubbed a run-scoring single to go ahead. Geoff Sobotka plated an insurance run, and one more run scored on an error.
Sons added two more runs in the sixth when LaPlante singled, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on an error. A balk led to yet another run.
Dunn and Kelleher tossed three innings apiece on the mound for Sons. LaPlante closed out the seventh.
It was an inauspicious end to Police, who raced out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning – all with two outs. Neil Parrow and Jake Barbieri launched two-run singles in the third, and Chris Riga had a run-scoring hit.
Sons responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Dunn singled in a run, and a second scored on an error. Police scored two in the fifth.
