Danvers National Advances In Tournament, Despite Loss to American

Sometimes you can lose but still win. Or win, but, in the end, lose.

That’s what happened when Danvers American and Danvers National faced off Tuesday at the District 15 Little League 11-12 year old All Star Tournament.

In the final game of the second round of pool play American downed National, 4-2, but since all three teams (Boxford the third in the pool) finished with a 1-1 record, a complex run-differential, runs scored and runs allowed formula catapulted last night’s losers into the finals against the pool 2 champion.

Mike Ward, coach of the American squad, explained that in order for his team to continue to the finals they had to hold their cross-town rivals to 1 run or less and had to score five of their own.

"The rules were laid out before the tournament. We all knew [how it worked]," said Ward. "[National] won by the rules and we wish them luck."

National will play Friday at 7 p.m. for the tournament title.

National coach Tom Marsden was pleased that his team was moving on but wished it wasn’t at the expense of the other Danvers representative.

“It’s a tough way for Danvers American to go out. They played a great game,” Marsden said. “Both sides knew [the rules]. We just hoped we didn’t knock [both teams] out with a high-scoring game.”

The game-winning run came off the bat of Jordan DeDonato who smacked a leadoff home run in the fourth inning.

It was a difficult way to bow out of the tournament for American, which scored more than 70 runs in six games and only lost once – when it led 3-1 with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning.

“It was an emotional loss [Monday night] and for the kids to bounce back and [beat] their rivals [says a lot],” Ward said.

The lead was doubled to 4-2 when Devonn Allen scored on a passed ball in the fifth inning.

“Overall [in the tournament] the kids worked hard and did a good job on the field,” Ward said. “If it wasn’t for one inning [against Boxford] we’d be moving on as an undefeated team.”

American took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Jordan DeDonato (2 for 2)  doubled and scored when he took third on a fly out to centerfield and scored on the overthrow.

National took its only lead in the third inning when Jack Anderson lined a two-run double, scoring David Morrill, who was hit by a pitch, and James McPherson, who reached on a fielder’s choice.

Courtney Cashman (2 for 3) tied the game when the number 3 hitter smashed a two-out homer to centerfield in the third inning.

Shane Smith picked up the win in relief. He allowed two runs in 3 2/3 innings. He allowed one hit and struck out four. Matt Andreas went the first two innings, striking out six and yielding only one hit.

National has a chance to win it all after dropping its first game of the tournament, 19-0 to Middleton.