Sudbury Little League Majors Roundup

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following was submitted by Paula Mackenzi.)

SUNDAY, MAY 6

Royals 8, Rangers 7

The Royals scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for a come-from-behind victory over the Rangers. The Rangers scored four times in the top half of the frame to take a 7-3 lead. The Royals received solid pitching from Ryan Cusick (6 Ks), James Ensley, Jake MacKenzi, and Jack Maillet. Its offense was set up by Ensley (3-for-3 2 2Bs), Ryan Cusick (3-for-3, 2B), and Abby Volo (3-for-3, 3B). The sixth-inning rally was set up by clutch hits from Seamus Fagan, Ethan Beatty, and Jake Mackenzi, and Maillet’s game-winning single scored Noah Gies from third. Rangers’ starter Joey Caloiero (3 IP, 5 Ks, 1 ER 0 BB) was outstanding and Michael Kossuth provided three innings of solid relief including setting down the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings. Rangers’ offense was powered by key hits from Kossuth (1B, 2B, 2 RS, 2RBIs) and Charlie Cavanaugh’s clutch bases-clearing, two-out double in the sixth. JB Clarance, Colin Garvin, Tristan Wolf, and Alec Zaccardo also added big hits.  Defensively, Chandler Katz and Wolf made key plays, while catcher David Lifson threw out a runner at second.

Giants 12, Athletics 2

The Giants scored six runs in the third inning and six in the fourth and coasted to the victory over the Athletics. Leading the offense for the Giants was Matt Cunningham (2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 RS)) Andrew Guerra (2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 RS) Keith Schmelter (2-3, 2 RBIs, RS), and Abram Wine (1-3, 2 RS). Michael Rodriguez drove in a run with a well-placed sacrifice. A’s Kunaal Verman and Giants’ Lucas Lisman (3 IP, 5 Ks) were locked in a pitchers’ duel the first two innings. Giants’ defense turned over a 6-4-3 double play on a strong throw to first by second baseman Sam Scribner. Guerra gave up only one hit in his one-inning pitching sting. Schmelter pitched the final two innings and recorded four strikeouts. For the A's, Joseph Sziabowski had two hits and a key strikeout. William Stone struck out all four batters he faced. David Andrysiak had a base hit and played two gutsy innings behind the plate.

Orioles 11, Cardinals 5

The undefeated Orioles held off the previously undefeated Cardinals for the win. The Orioles scored eight runs in the fourth inning to break open the game. Offensive leaders included Haydn Herrema (1B, RBI, RS), Vincent Richard (2 1Bs, RBI, 2 RS) and Alex Gullotti (1B, RBI, 2 RS). Nate Nickerson reached base three times. Pitchers Archie Stewart and Gullotti kept the Cardinals bats in check. Catcher Adam Thomas’s tag at home plate ended the game. The Cardinals’ offense was led by Connor Lachman (2 1B, 2B, RBI, RS), Kyle Smith (1B, 2B, RBI, RS) and William Fletcher (2 1Bs, RS). Teammates Ivan Orup, Greer Fried and Jack Fletcher (RBI) each had a base hit. Thomas Bacon reached base safely twice. Cardinals’ pitchers William Fletcher (3 IP, 4Ks), Ben Hankey and Fried all pitched exceptionally well. Defensively, Ethan Weisman made a great catch in right field and Conor Lee had two putouts.

Rays 7, Phillies 5

The Rays held on for the extra-inning victory after a three-run rally by the Phillies fell short in the bottom of the seventh. The Rays scored four runs in the fifth to take a 7-2 lead. The first three innings were a pitcher’s duel between the Phillies’ James Dillon (3 IPs, 1 UR) and the Rays’ Tyler George (3 IPs, 2 ER, 2Ks). Defensive stars for the Phillies included Declan Forde with a great play at third and Adrian Rogers made a shoestring catch in centerfield to rob a Phillies’ batter of a base hit. The Phillies offense was led by Jack McKeon (1B, 2B, 2 RS) and Dillon (3-4, 2B, 2 RBIs). Offensive contributors for the Rays were Jake Titus (3B, 2 RS), Brett Parker (2 1Bs, RS, RBI), Ryan Barrera (1B, RS, RBI), George (2 1Bs, 2 RBIs) and Christian Smith (1B, 2 RS). Defensively, the Rays were led by solid pitching by Chris Reilly (2 ERs, 3 Ks). Reilly made a great throw from shortstop to Tim Quirk for a key out. Parker, Xan Ottenberg and Stephen Brackett made key unassisted plays on defense. 

Pirates 4, Marlins 3

The Pirates edged the Marlins with timely hitting, solid pitching, and key defense. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Marlins threatened to tie the game with Kenneth Ho representing the tying run at third. Pirates’ third baseman Jack Reading snagged a sharply hit ball by Kevin Kelleher and threw to Matt Perricone who applied the tag to Ho at home. Pirates’ Jake Erman also turned in a defensive gem with an unassisted double play. Pirates’ pitchers Andrew Sanderson and Nicholas Mitchell pitched well to keep the tough Marlins’ bats in check. Brett Flanagan (1B, 2B, 2 RBIs) sparked the Pirates’ offense with a key two-run double and later scored the deciding run.

SATURDAY, MAY 5

Orioles 6, Royals 4

The Orioles scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to edge the Royals. AJ Cataldo scorded the tie-breaking run on a fielder’s choice, and Adam Thomas scored the insurance run. Both teams had strong pitching and solid defense. Orioles’ pitchers Thomas, Jack Coletti and Thomas Griffin displayed great control as did Royals’ pitchers Abby Volo (5 Ks), Sam Winneg, Noah Gies and Ethan Beatty. The Orioles banged out nine hits in the game, and nine players reached base safely. Vincent Richard tripled to left field, and scored on Cataldo’s line drive double. The Royals’ Winneg, Gies, Braden O’Connell and Drew Teitelbaum (RBI) each scored a run. Seamus Fagan’s triple to deep left field and O’Connell’s double to center field were the Royals’ only extra base hits. Defensively, Royals’ catcher Ryan Cusick and third baseman Jack Maillet combined to pick off a baserunner; Winneg snagged a hard-hit line back to him on the mound; and O’Connell’s heads-up play on Alex Gullotti’s sacrifice fly in the fourth held the Orioles to their lone run in that inning

Pirates 14, Giants 8

The Pirates defeated the Giants. Pirates offense was powered by Matt Perricone (2 2B, 2 RBIs), Joey Palmerino (1B, 2B, 2 RBIs), and George Curry (2 1B, 2 RBIs). Jake Erman, Henry Warzecha, Nicholas Mitchell and Jack Reading each had a hit and scored a run. Brett Flanagan (2 RBIs), Jack Sorbo and Andrew Sanderson all reached base safely and scored. The Pirates’ defensive gem of the game went to first baseman Anderson whose quick-thinking throw to Erman at home cut down a Giants’ runner trying to score. Pirates received exceptional pitching from Flanagan (1 K) who limited the Giants to one run over the last two and two-thirds innings. Sorbo (4 Ks), Warzecha (2 Ks) and Curry (1 K) kept the Giants’ bats in check.

Athletics 9, Marlins 8

The Athletics came from behind to score four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat the Marlins despite strong pitching from Marlins’ Thomas Palmer (5 Ks) and Milind Lele (5 Ks). Ben Fasciano had the game-winning hit in the sixth with a bases-loaded single. Fasicano was also the winning pitcher. Jake Madden, Joseph Sziabowski, and Max Durante each had two hits for the A’s, as did Kenneth Ho and Max Solomon for the Marlins.

Cardinals 10, Rangers 4

The Cardinals defeated the Rangers. Cardinals’ offense was highlighted by William Fletcher’s three-run homer to deep centerfield and Conor Lachman’s inside-the-park home run to right field. Teammates Jacob Pullen (2 1Bs, 2B, 2 RS, SB, RBI), Kyle Smith (2B, 2 RS, SB) and Jack Fletcher (2 1Bs, RBI) all contributed to the offensive attack. Conor Lee and Thomas Bacon both reached base safely in their plate appearances and both scored a run. On the mound, Jacob Pullen (3 IP, 6 Ks) and Jack Fletcher (3 IP, 2 Ks, 2 ER) pitched well. Ethan Weisman had an assist and two putouts. The Rangers’ Chandler Katz had an outstanding pitching performance (3 IP, 0 ER, 8Ks), while Charlie Cavanaugh and Colin Garvin provided solid relief. Katz had two hits and scored a run, and David Lifson had a hit and scored twice. Garvin and Cavanaugh also added hits. Defensive gem for the Rangers included a spectacular catch by Joey Caloiero in centerfield.

Rays 17, Phillies 2

The Rays banged out 14 hits and all players reached base safely in its victory over the Phillies. Tim Quirk (2 1Bs, 2 RS, 2 RBIs, 3 SBs) was a key offensive contributor.  Rory Bordiuk drove in two runs with a bases-clearing triple, Christian Smith and Ryan Barrera (2 RBIs) combined for three hits, three runs scored and two stolen bases. Quirk pitched a solid inning in relief after Bordiuk held the Phillies to one hit and struck out five. Defensive gem of the game went to Phillies players Ethan Benton, Jack McKeon and James Dillon who combined on a 9-3-2 play that nailed a Rays’ runner at home. Peter Rizzoti pitched three innings and recorded seven strikeouts.

FRIDAY, MAY 4

Cardinals 11, Pirates 10

The Cardinals edged the Pirates in an offense-filled game. Conor Lee’s two-run double in the fifth inning sparked a seven-run Cardinals’ rally. Ivan Orup (2 1Bs, 2B, 2 RS, 2 SBs) and Jacob Pullen (2 2Bs, 2 RBIs, 2 RS, SB) led the offense along with Connor Lachman, Ben Hankey, and William Fletcher who each had two hits, two RBIs and scored a run. William Fletcher and Ben Hankey pitched four innings, recorded eight strikeouts and surrendered two runs. Defensively, Ethan Weisman and Greer Fried were solid, and Will Fletcher and Jack Fletcher combined to throw out a Pirates’ baserunner at home. Jack Fletcher nailed a runner at second to end the Pirates’ five-run fifth inning. The Pirates Jack Sorbo and Jack Reading combined for five hits including a double by Reading, and drove in three runs. Henry Warzecha and Brett Flanagan each had an RBI. Jake Erman, Matt Perricone and Tate Ciccolo each scored multiple times. Nicholas Mitchell (2 1/3 IPs, 2 Ks) allowed just one run. Perricone (2 Ks), Joey Palmerino (2 Ks) and Jake Erman provided solid pitching. Standout defensive plays were made by Mitchell and Andrew Sanderson who combined to pick off a Cardinals’ base runner at first, and Sorbo and Flanagan teamed up for a stellar double play.

THURSDAY, MAY 3

Orioles 7, Rays 3

The Orioles defeated the Rays on the strength of five shutout innings from Archie Stewart, Nate Nickerson and Harrison Reiter who combined for seven strikeouts and  allowed just three walks. Offensively, the Orioles banged out 10 hits including two each by Brendan Frain, Stewart and Haydn Herrema.  Jack Coletti made an outstanding catch in deep center field to stop a Rays’ rally.  In the bottom of the sixth, the Rays scored three runs and were led by Xan Ottenberg (2 1Bs, RS, 3 SBs), Stephen Brackett (1B), Jake Titus (2B, RS, SB), Rory Bordiuk (RS, SB), Brett Parker (2 1Bs), and Christian Smith (2B, 2 RBIs). The Rays received solid pitching from Ottenberg, Brackett, Titus and Chris Reilly. Ottenberg, Brackett, Parker, Bordiuk and Ben Kateman also made exceptional defensive plays.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2

Athletics 9, Royals 6

The Athletics defeated the Royals. Ryan Cusick (6 Ks), Jack Maillet (2 Ks), Jake Mackenzi (1 K), and Braden O'Connell shared pitching duties for the Royals.  The Royals’ offense was led by Cusick (2-for-2), Noah Gies (2B, 2 RBIs), Drew Teitelbaum (1-for-2, RS), and Mackenzi (2 RS). For the A’s, Kunaal Verma (7 Ks) and Max Durante (2 Ks, 0 hits) led the pitching.  Joseph Sziabowski, Victor Figueroa, and Brendan Roche each reached base safely three times.

MONDAY, April 30

Phillies 6, Giants 4

The Giants and Phillies exchanged leads six times but the Phillies came away with a 6-4 victory. Giants’ starting pitcher Lucas Lisman recorded five strikeouts in three innings and did not give up a hit. At the plate, Lisman doubled, drove in a run and scored two runs and teammates Jack Carlson (3 1Bs, 3 SBs) and Andrew Guerra (2-for-3, RBI) also contributed to the Giants’ offense. Michael Rodrigues drove in a key run with a sacrifice hit that tied the game. Keith Schmelter pitched three innings, had five strikeouts and walked one. Phillies’ pitchers loaded the bases three times but pitched out of those jams.

SUNDAY, April 29

Giants 6, Marlins 5

A strong team effort powered the Giants past the Marlins. Giants’ pitchers Matt Cunningham, Lucas Lisman and Keith Schmelter each pitched two solid innings and combined for six strikeouts. Giants’ offense was led by Andrew Guerra (1B, RBI, RS), Paul Forester (1B, 2 SBs, RS), Lisman (2B, 3 RS). TJ Halls’ clutch hit knocked in two runs. Defensively, Giants’ catcher Abram acrobatic foul ball catch ended Marlins’ late inning rally. Marlins’ pitcher Max Solomon delivered on the mound with three strong innings, striking out six and surrendering three runs on two hits. Dan Desmarais ended a Giants scoring opportunity in the third inning with a great catch of a line drive down the first base line. Marlins’ offensive contributors were Milind Lele (2B, 2 RS), Thomas Palmer (2B, RS) and Jonathan Vellom (1B, SB, RS).