The Milford National Lou Gehrig Little League 10U District team kept its State Championship hopes alive Thursday night with a dramatic 7-6 come from behind win over Stamford National before an enthusiastic crowd at Roche Field in Orange.
Stamford National got things going in the top of the 1st with Tim Ryan and Cassie Robotti each drawing 1-out walks off Milford National starter Brian Goglia. Stamford National first baseman Connor Robinson delivered a deep RBI double to center scoring Ryan and Robotti giving them a 2-0 lead.
Stamford National added another run in the 2nd when Tanner Rooney led off with a single and came around to score making it 3-0 Stamford after 2 innings.
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Trailing for the 7th time in 9 games, Milford started to chip away at the Stamford lead. Kasen Lanese led off the bottom of the 3rd with a walk but was forced out on Goglia’s fielder’s choice. Declan Wywoda worked a walked putting runners on first and second and Jake Stash followed a single down the line to load the bases. Zach Worzel stepped up and laced an RBI single cutting the lead to 3-1, and was followed by Nolan McKenna-Hanson’s RBI single up the middle scoring Wywoda making it 3-2.
Stamford would bounce right back with an outburst of their own scoring 3 times in the 4th. Milford escaped further damage in the 4th with Stamford National stranding the bases loaded capped by an inning-ending surging catch by Milford National right fielder Tyler Nethercott. The Milford National bats would now come alive starting with a little small ball. Gavin Kaminski led off with a bunt single and Tim Swanson worked a walk putting runners on first and second. Brian Goglia drove in Kaminski and Swanson with a double to the gap cutting the lead to 6-4. Stamford National pitcher Jonathan Cepeda retired Wywoda and Stash but Zach Worzel delivered his second RBI single of the night cutting the lead to 6-5. Once again Milford National flexed their muscles, this time with Chase Bryant smashing a double of the top of the center field fence scoring Worzel tying the score at 6 after 4 innings.
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As the old saying goes, pitching and defense wins games, and that saying would hold true here. Zach Worzel, who came on in relief of starter Brian Goglia in the 4th would surrender a leadoff single to Graham Findelsen. Worzel would settle in and strike out Jonathan Cepeda for the first out. Niko Christian would follow with a line drive up the middle that would be snagged in the air by an out-stretched shortstop Declan Wywoda who would fire across the diamond to first for the double play ending a potential rally.
Milford would try to take the lead in the bottom of the 5th. Griffin Fischer led off the inning with what looked to be a lead off single, but was robbed by a nice play by Stamford second baseman Niko Christian for the first out. Milford National left fielder Hunter Hoxie then drilled a ball to the gap in center but was thrown out trying to extend his double into a triple by a nice relay throw from Stamford shortstop Cassie Robotti and preserving the 6-6 tie.
Stamford National would give it their best shot at taking the lead in the top of the 6th. Tim Ryan worked a leadoff walk and Cassie Robotti followed with a single giving Stamford runners on first and second with no one out. Milford Nationals lefty Zach Worzel would then get Derek Wood to fly out to Chase Bryant in right for the first out, then strike out the next 2 Stamford batters keeping the score tied at 6.
Sensing an opportunity to put the game away, Brian Goglia would lead off the bottom of the 6th with a hard single through the box off Stamford reliever Cassie Robotti. Declan Wywoda followed with a single putting runners on first and second. Robotti would get Jake Stash on an infield pop-up for the inning’s first out. Zach Worzel then placed a single through the right side of the Stamford infield scoring Goglia giving Milford National the 7-6 victory.
The win puts Milford National in the Section 1 Finals Saturday morning against Trumbull American who gave Milford their first loss of the All-Star tournament 10-4 Wednesday night. Saturday’s winner will advance to the State Championship Final Four and face the Section 2 winner Wednesday night in Waterford.
