Machias Savings Bank came back from a 1-0 deficit to capture the Caribou Little League championship.
MSB, representing the National Division, lost the opening game played last Wednesday, 6-5, but rebounded to win game two on Friday, 6-3, and the deciding third game Saturday, 12-4.
With the series tied, it came down to Saturday morning’s contest and early on it featured a pitchers’ duel between Police’s Dylan Bouchard and MSB’s Zack Madore.
Madore ended up combining with Carson Poitras on the mound and the duo gave up just two hits in the contest while striking out nine.
At the plate for MSB, Camryn Ala went 3 for 4 with a single, double and triple. Dan Lister tripled, Madore doubled and Dawson St. Pierre contributed a clutch single for the winning offense. Defensively, St. Pierre recorded the final putout by catching a pop fly from his second base position. Ala also starred in the field with a stellar performance at catcher.
Griffen McNeal had both of Police’s hits and Braydon Brescia scored a pair of runs. Bouchard took the loss on the hill, with two other Police players seeing pitching action. Landon Tracy was brilliant behind the plate defensively for the American Division champion Police squad.
The previous night, MSB forced the if-necessary game by doubling up on Police, 6-3. Madore got the start for MSB and retired the first five batters before the rain caused a delay. When the game resumed, Sam Marquis took to the mound and he was stellar, limiting Police to three runs the rest of the way. Madore and Marquis combined for six strikeouts.
Bryce St. Pierre, a nine-year-old, handled a bulk of the pitching chores for Police and surrendered just four hits. Jack Doody, Abby McNeal and Bouchard also saw action and the staff combined for 10 strikeouts.
Kaleb DeMerchant, Willette and Madore led the MSB offensive attack, while Doody, St. Pierre, Bouchard and the McNeals paced Police.
Defensively, DeMerchant was brilliant, making several nice plays from his third base position.
In Police’s victory in game one, MSB took the early lead off starting pitcher Brayden Brescia of Police, but reliever Griffin McNeal held the opponents to just one run over the final three frames. Meanwhile, Brayden Willette and the other MSB pitchers (Madore and DeMerchant) did not surrender a hit, but walks and good baserunning kept Police in the game.
The contest went extra innings before Police’s Jack Doody scored from third on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh to end it.
Police’s Abby McNeal turned an unassisted double play at first base to squelch a rally.
Willette and Madore both went 3 for 4 for MSB.
