Have District 13 Tourney run ended with 6-2 semifinal loss
CAL TRYDER is safe at first base as the throw was wide. The Nationals put up a good fight, but fell to undefeated Reading by a 6-2 score on Tuesday night in the District 13 semifinals.
(Donna Larsson Photo)
Published in the July 16, 2015 edition
By DAN BYRNE
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield National 11-12 year old Little League Baseball All-Stars Nationals hosted Reading in the District 13 semifinal round on Tuesday night at Fernald Field. The Nationals couldn’t manage to dent the armor of the undefeated boys from Reading as Wakefield fell by a 6-2 margin to have its tourney run come to an end.
The Nationals beat Assabet Valley 4-0 on Sunday to finish second in Pool A and advance to the semifinal round.
Before that they beat Weston 8-3, lost 14-4 to Lexington, won 1-0 against Lincoln-Sudbury and suffered a 14-7 loss to Acton-Boxboro.
Reading entered the night with a record of 5-0, finishing in first place in Pool B. Reading moved on and will face Acton-Boxboro in the District 13 final tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Benevento Field in North Reading.
In a one-and-done scenario, it often comes down to big time pitching vs. clutch hitting. Reading had the pitching and Wakefield lacked the hitting. The coach lamented the one and done scenario of the Little League All-Star playoffs saying.
“I kind of wish it was a 2-out of-3 so we can go through our pitching rotation and get a feel for what they have. In a one game scenario, anything can happen, we just fell short tonight,” said manager Brian Juneau. “I’ve coached these guys for three years now in the All-Stars. I told them I’m really proud of them, they fought right to the end, it just wasn’t meant to be tonight.”
Wakefield was the host site for the evening but the home team was determined by a coin-flip. As it was, the Nationals won the toss and opted to take the field first.
Matt Juneau got the start on the hill for the Nationals and gave up a run on three hits in the first inning. A strikeout with two on and two outs ended the threat from Reading and Juneau escaped with minimal damage.
Wakefield was up against some strong pitching, scraping out two runs on six hits while striking out eight times and walking only three times. Two base runners reached on an error.
Reading pounded out 12 hits including two home runs, three doubles and one triple.
The loss means the end for the Nationals’ players Little League careers but most of them will play on other teams in the summer and move up to the larger diamonds.
“(It’s) Time to move on,” Juneau said as many players will be graduating to either the intermediate sized Bay State League diamond, or to the full sized diamond in several other leagues.
SHORTSTOP Jack Penney makes a throw to first base in a District 13 semifinal game on Tuesday night at Fernald Field. Despite a valiant effort, the Nationals dropped a 6-2 game against undefeated Reading. (Donna Larsson Photo)
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At Fernald Field
Reading 111 021 — 6 12 2
Wakefield 000 011 — 2 6 1
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Nationals h-ab
Fabiano 1-4 (2b, 1r)
Ryan 0-1 (2BB)
Penny 1-3
Tryder 1-3
Chambers 0-3
Magliozzi 0-2
DiMella 0-1
McKean 1-3
Atovi 0-2
Melanson 1-1
Goc 0-1
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Pitchers ip r h so bb
National
Juneau (L) 4 5 8 3 0
Ryan 2 1 3 1 0
HB — Ryan
