AMHERST, N.S. — Talk about late inning drama.
Sawyer Harvey hit a two-run single up the middle with one out in the bottom of the seventh as the Carter’s Cresting Cubs defeated the Lions 5-4 to take the opening game of the best-of-three Amherst Little League championship series on Monday.
After Jaxon Reynolds singled and Connor Hunter walked with one out, the Lions elected to intentionally walk Phoenix Remington. Harvey came up and drove the ball through the infield with Hunter beating to throw to the plate for the winning run.
The Lions held a 3-1 lead after scoring three times in the third as Braxton Bickford, who had walked; Ethan Fraser, who’d singled; and Owen Wood, who also singled scored with Nolan McNally adding a single in the inning before Cubs’ starter Phoenix Remington ended the half inning with a pair of strikeouts.
The Cubs tied it in the bottom of the fifth as Jaxon Reynolds, who’d singled, and Connor Hunter, who’d walked, scored off Lions’ starter Nolan McNally.
In the top of the seventh, the Lions took the lead when Nolan McNally was walked forcing in Nathaniel Noiles with the bases loaded.
For the Cubs, Jaxon Reynolds hit three singles and Phoenix Remington doubled. For the Lions, Ethan Fraser and Owen Wood each singled twice and Nolan McNally singled and doubled.
Phoenix Remington, Sawyer Harvey and Jaxon Reynolds each pitched for the Cubs giving up six hits, walking four and striking out 18. Nolan McNally and Ethan Fraser pitched for the Lions, giving up four hits, walking six and striking out 17.
The Cubs can win the championship on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
In the consolation final, the Mixers scored five times in the fourth inning and then held off a late Y’s Guys rally to take the opener in the best-of-three series.
Carter Lusby singled and tripled for the Mixers while Mandel Nickerson doubled and Cail O’Brien and Emily Gilroy each singled.
For the Y’s Guys, who scored one in the fifth and two in the sixth to pull within a run, Chase Livingston doubled and Aaden McAloney singled.
Mandel Nickerson earned the pitching win, giving up two hits, walking two and striking out 13. Aaden McAloney pitched for the Y’s Guys, giving up five hits. He walked eight and struck out seven.
