Atlantic Shore Drops Opening Game at Babe Ruth World Series

The Atlantic Shore 13U team dropped their opening game, 3-1 to the New England champion, Norwalk,  CT at the Babe Ruth World Series in Jamestown, NY on Saturday.

Both Pitchers, Aidan Ralph for Mid-Atlantic and Frederick Melton from New England, were spotless through 2 innings allowing no hits. Atlantic Shore got on the board first with a single by Bernie Hargadon in the third inning that drove in Colin Thompson giving Atlantic Shore a 1-0 lead.

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Matthew Wagner, Ralph, John Franchini, had three straight one-out hits in the bottom of the fouth but Ryan Baldwin lined into an inning ending double play to end the threat for the Mid-Atlantic champs.

Atlantic Shore led off the bottom of the sixth inning with singles by Hargadon, Damon Herzchel, and Wagner. After striking out Ralph, pitxher Fredrick Melton got Franchini to hit into an inning ending double play on a fly ball to right field. New England right fielder Matthew Vahle threw a strike from right field to nail Hargadon at the plate to end Atlantic Shore's threat.

Tatum McBall came in relief for Ralph in the seventh and surrendered a double to New England’s Matthew Vahle. McBall made a nice defensive play nabbing a runner at the plate on a comebacker to record the first out. Marcus Villafane executed a great suicide squeeze with one out to tie the game at 1-1. Konstantinos Panagiotidis scored on a pass ball to give New England a 2-1 lead in the seventh. Villafane then scored on a groundball, giving New England a 3-1 lead.

Melton allowed a hit in the bottom of the seventh but got three quick outs leading to a New England win.

Melton pitched a complete game on 83 pitches and finished with a line of 9H, 1ER, 3SO, 1BB and earned the win.

For Atlantic Shore, Ralph pitched six innings striking out 11, giving up just four hits.

The Ron Tellefson Players of the game were Aidan Ralph for Mid-Atlantic and Frederick Melton from New England.

Atlantic Shore will face North Buffalo, NY tomorrow at 5 p.m.