Greenwich Holds Off Norwalk 7-6 To Force Deciding Game In Cal Ripken 12-Year-Old Tournament [Video]

Marco Pastore belted a grand slam and drove in five runs as Greenwich edged Norwalk 7-6 on Wednesday to force a deciding game in the District One 12-year-old Cal Ripken tournament.

The teams will meet again on Thursday at New Canaan's Saxe Middle School (5:30 p.m.) with the winner advancing to the state tournament.

Greenwich jumped on top in the top of the first, taking advantage of three walks and a hitbatsman to score two runs on only one hit, an RBI single by Pastore.

Norwalk answered in the bottom half, tying the contest on back-to-back homers by Nico Petridis and Mike Gonzalez, who added another solo shot in the third.

Greenwich responded with five runs in the top of the second to open a 7-2 lead that barely was enough.

After Joey Lanni's RBI double put Greenwich back ahead, Colin Kelly and Tim Mira drew walks to load the bases. Pastore followed with a drive over the left-field fence that gave his team a seemingly comfortable five-run cushion.

But Norwalk chipped away, pulling within 7-3 on Wady Almonte's RBI groundout in the second. Gonzalez's leadoff homer in the third ignited a three-run rally that pulled his team within 7-6.

Connor Langan, who replaced Kelly on the mound for Greenwich, gave up a bases-loaded walk to Chris Giardino and and an infield single to Ryan Searles that made it 7-6.

However, Langan slammed the door, holding Norwalk hitless over the final three innings. After working out of a second-and-third jam in the fourth, he retired the final six batters to set up Thursday's winner-take-all battle.

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