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A fierce late-game comeback fell just short for the Tri-Valley all-stars, who lost an 8-7 heart-breaker to New Jersey in the championship game of the Babe Ruth 14-year-old World Series last weekend in Pine Bluff, Ark.
The local team, which included three Pleasanton teens, scored three times in the top of the seventh to tie the game, but Atlantic Shore, N.J., scored the winning run in the bottom half of the final frame to claim the World Series title Saturday.
The finale played out in similar fashion to the tournament opener, which saw New Jersey beat the Tri-Valley boys on a walk-off — that time a 5-4 win.
That would be Tri-Valley’s only blemish in pool play, where they finished with an overall record of 4-1, scoring 40 runs while giving up only 10.
They beat New England 13-3, White Hall, Ark., 9-0, Ohio Valley 7-1 and South Arkansas 7-1.
Tri-Valley advanced to the single-elimination round and got things going with a 6-0 victory over Midwest Plains representative Booneville, Ark.
In the semifinal, the local boys took down Virginia 5-3 to set up a rematch against New Jersey.
Pleasanton’s Nicholas Maestas opened the scoring in the championship game with an RBI double in the second inning. But New Jersey battled back and built a 6-1 lead after scoring three runs each in the fourth and fifth.
Tri-Valley scored three times in the top of the sixth but gave one back in the bottom half, so they entered the final inning trailing 7-4.
In a tense top half, the local boys found themselves down to their final strike three times, but ultimately scored three runs with two outs to tie the game before making the third out with the bases loaded.
New Jersey would score the game-winning run on an RBI single in the bottom half.
The Tri-Valley team earned the tournament’s sportsmanship award in addition to the second-place finish.
Danville’s Dylan Lawlor was named World Series MVP and Top Offensive Player aftter batting .565 with three home runs. Lawlor, Matt Jew and Josh White received all-tournament honors.
The other team members were Mason Arnold (Livermore), Jake Benno (San Ramon), Will Brega (San Ramon), Tyler Coulson (San Ramon), Joseph Gavello (Danville), Josh Giffins (San Ramon), Conner Lawrence (San Ramon), Jeremy Lea (Pleasanton), Logan Mendoza (San Ramon), Josh White (Danville), Sam Zevanove (Pleasanton) and manager Dave Jew.
I am so proud of our team, They won against many teams, to get to the final game and only lose by 1 run!! they had to battle through pouring down rain but did not give up, Learning lessons on life……..You can’t always win but you can always be in the game!