2012 Senior League Eastern Regional: No-Hitter, Nail-Biter

From Senior League's Mike Hirschman:

Tyler Lamanda hurled the third no-hitter in 22 years of regional play in West Deptford as Auburn, MA shutout South Vineland, NJ, 3-0, Saturday night at the 2012 Senior League Baseball Eastern Regional.

South Vineland had won 23 of its last 24 games in regional play entering Saturday night. But Lamanda had their number on Saturday, recording the no-hitter on the 95th pitch of the night—the maximum allowable under Little League’s pitch count rules. He walked two and weathered four errors by the Auburn, MA, defense.

For a long time, it looked like Lamanda would have to make two first-inning runs hold up. Auburn scored on a wild pitch and an RBI ground out by Scavone to take an early 2-0 lead.

South Vineland threatened in the second, stranding a pair of runners. Then the New Jersey state champs uncharacteristically ran themselves out of a chance in the fifth, trying to go first-to-third on a sacrifice bunt that turned into a double play with the top of the line up coming to bat. Lamanda was a key in that play, hustling to cover third and apply a diving tag for the third out.

South Vineland had two on and no out in the sixth with the meat of their order. But Lamanda coaxed a humpback liner to short, a foul pop and a grounder to short against 3-4-5 in the South Vineland order.

In the seventh, Lamanda got a pair of ground outs before striking out Ralf Reyes with a high fastball on pitch number 95.

Tyler Destardin gave Lamanda some insurance in the sixth with his third homer in the last two days, a solo shot that bounced high off the top of the wall and left and just cleared it.

Auburn became the second team in the 22 years of regional play to record consecutive shutouts, equaling Quincy, MA when it did it last year to open the regional. Auburn defeated Scarborough, ME, 35-0, in a five-inning game on Friday night.

Auburn will face West Deptford in a 7:30 p.m. winner’s bracket game on Sunday. South Vineland gets the winner of Johnston, RI, and Orange, CT, on Monday at 2 p.m.

Delaware-New York

Sam Mattern’s line drive single to the left field wall in the eighth inning scored Max Carney to cap off a wild comeback and give Naamans Little League of Wilmington, DE, a 10-9 walkoff win over Stony Point, NY in Saturday afternoon action at the 2012 Senior League Baseball Eastern Regional.

Carney reached on an error and raced to third on Tim Parks’ double just inside the left field line with two outs. After a meeting at the mound, Mattern ripped the first pitch to the wall in left for a walkoff win.

Naamans had trailed 9-5 in the sixth inning, scored twice in the sixth and twice in the seventh to force extra frames. Shayne Linkhorse’s two-run single out of the nine-hole in the lineup tied the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Stony Point’s Kevin Hyles smacked a two-run homer to help his own cause on the hill to give the New York champs some breathing room in the sixth. His homer to left-center gave Stony Point a 9-5 lead at the time. Hyles worked the first 5-2/3 on the mound, allowing eight hits and six runs in a no-decision effort.

However, Carney smacked a double to right-center to score two in the bottom half of the sixth to cut the margin in half at 9-7.

Stony Point jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first two frames before Naamans put up a four spot in the third to make a game of it.

Brian Rotella went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI for Stony Point, which will face either Talbot, MD or Scarborough, ME in an elimination game Monday at 11:30 am.

Matt Sheehan earned the win for Naamans, recording the final out of the top of the eighth inning.

Pennsylvania-Maryland

In the first game of the day, Upper Moreland, PA got strong pitching from the trio of Eddie Decker, Charlie Hooker and Robert Knox to upend defending regional champion Talbot, MD, 8-3, Saturday afternoon at the 2012 Senior League Baseball Eastern Regional.

Upper Moreland will play Sunday at 5 p.m. against Naamans, DE. Talbot, MD will face Scarborough, ME in an elimination game on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

Decker surrendered three first inning runs and then settled down, while Hooker and Knox worked the last 3-1/3 innings in relief. The trio held Talbot to just five hits after the first inning. Decker helped himself at the plate with a two-run single in the third that broke a 3-3 tie.

Drew Chambers was 3-for-4 with a run scored for Talbot. Hooker and Jason White each had two hits for Upper Moreland.