By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
DUBOIS, PA — The North Reading 13-14-year old Junior Little League baseball team had its postseason come to an end as they lost to Massapequa, New York, 12-2, last Wednesday night in the regional tournament down in DuBois, Pennsylvania.
North Reading, who won the Massachusetts state title a couple of weeks ago, went 1-2 down in Pennsylvania as this was a double-elimination tournament.
“We had to play three games in two days,” explained North Reading head coach Nick Rosano. “We were out of arms to pitch.”
Rosano pointed out that, even though they won their first game on Tuesday, they were the only winning team that had to play the next day.
“I am still hoping for an answer,” he said. “All of the other winners on Tuesday had the day off on Wednesday while we had to play twice.”
Massapequa scored three times in the bottom of the first inning. They then scored four in the third and five in the bottom of the fourth to invoke the 10-run mercy-rule to end the game.
“We used several guys to pitch that game,” recalled Rosano.
North Reading had six hits in the game led by Charlie Scott who went 2 for 2 as he had a two-run double in the top of the fourth.
Earlier that day, North Reading lost to Brandywine, Delaware by a final of 6-4.
“They had a solid pitcher,” said Rosano, whose team scored all four of its runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Brandywine plated two runs in the bottom of the first.
North Reading then took its first lead with those four runs in the top of the sixth. Tyler Boviard (2 for 3), Charlie Copper (2 for 3) and Brandon Levine all had RBI singles.
The other run scored on an error.
However, Brandywine answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead for good.
Scott went three innings in relief of starter Christian Lava.
In the opening game of the tournament on Aug. 1, North Reading beat the host team, DuBois, 5-4.
North Reading scored three times in the first inning and two more in the seventh. DuBois scored single runs in the first and fifth innings and then scored twice in the bottom of the seventh.
“We made a couple of errors late but were still able to hold on,” said Rosano. “They had a big home-crowd advantage.”
Boviard was the winning pitcher going 4 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs, three hits, one walk and he struck out four.
Scott pitched the final inning as the two runs he gave up were unearned, to record the save.
The offense had 10 hits led by Cooper, Scott and Glen Mello who were all 2 for 3 at the dish. Mello and Cooper each had one RBI.
Levine also had an RBI single for his lone hit in the first inning.
“I was proud of our kids,” said Rosano, about the experience. “It was a team-bonding event and I felt that we had one of the top three teams there. I just don’t like the schedule we had.”
The team out of New Jersey ended up winning the tournament.