By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
WILLIAMSPORT–The Mid-Atlantic was led by Ryan Harlost, who fanned five batters through five innings, while also adding a home run and double for a 7-2 win over New England.
The game ended when a Sean Gallagher hit a two-RBI single, but was caught heading to third.
Maine-Endwell has yet to loss since starting the District tournament in mid June.
Maine-Endwell finished with seven runs on nine hits.
Harlost made New England immediately pay for two singles to open the game as he drove a towering shot over the left field fence for a quick 3-0 Mid-Atlantic lead.
Harlost struck again in the second, driving a double to the wall to score two more runners for the Mid-Atlantic.
Harlost recorded four strikeouts while scattering two hits and blanking New England through the first four innings of the opening game at Lamade.
Domenic Brazeau hit a double in the top of the fourth, but Narlost came back to record a strikeout and force a groundout to end the inning and strand the runner.
After the Mid-Atlantic’s first two innings, the pitchers took over.
Kenny Rix subbed in for Colin Lemieux, blanking the Mid-Atlantic through two innings and picking up two strikeouts over the stretch.
An error and single highlighted the opening stages of the fifth inning for New England. The runners represented just the third and fourth base runners for New England, which struggled offensively against Narlost.
Brendan McCaffrey came on as a sub, but struck out to end the inning without scoring a run.
In the bottom of the frame Harlost reached on a double when the New England shortstop and left fielder failed to snag an easy pop fly.
Cullen McGrew was then called upon to end the inning. McGrew ended the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. Thane Denton came on a sub to open the sixth inning for New England. After a strikeout, rain delayed the game by 45 minutes, but seemed to have little effect on the Mid-Atlantic, which cruised to its first win of the Little League World Series.
Mid-Atlantic 7, New England 2
NWE 000 002-2 4 0
MAT 330 10X-7 9 3
C. Lemieux, K. Rix (3), C. McGrew (6), and Chase Pariseau. Ryan Harlost, J. Abbadessa (6), and Connor Rush.
WP: Harlost. LP: Lemieux.
Top New England hitters: Brazeau 2-2, run. Top Mid-Atlantic hitters: Harlost 3-3, run, 4 RBI.
Records: New England 0-1. Mid-Atlantic 1-0.
