AMHERST, N.S. — The Mixers drew first blood in their Amherst Little League semifinal series against the Carter’s Cresting Cubs with a 12-6 win spurred on by a five-run third inning.
Mandel Nickerson hit a grand slam home run and another home run and two singles for five RBIs while earning the pitching win with 13 strikeouts and no walks.
He gave up nine hits.
Cail O’Brien and Austin Murray each singled for the Mixers, who finished fourth in the regular season.
Phoenix Remington, Jaxon Reynolds, Adrian Rioux and Sawyer Harvey each pitched for the pennant-winning Cubs. They gave up six hits, walked 13 and struck out 13.
Remington hit three doubles for the Cubs while Harvey doubled twice and tripled and Cohen Ingraham and Connor Hunter each doubled. Ryan Wilson added a single.
In the other series, the Lions overcame an early deficit to defeat the Y’s Guys 9-4.
Owen Wood hit a home run, singled and doubled for the Lions while he and Ethan Fraser, who doubled twice and singled, shared the pitching duties. They gave up six hits, walked seven and struck out 12.
Nolan McNally doubled twice and singled, Riley Larade singled three times and doubled and Nathaniel Noiles doubled and tripled. Colton Hachey, Austin Dickie (who homered), Ryan Oderkirk and Chayse Neves also had hits.
Aaden McAloney pitched for the Y’s Guys. He gave up 20 hits, walked four and struck out 11.
McAloney doubled twice and Connor MacDougal, Mason Sloan, Caleb Oulton and Jackson Stevens each singled once.
Game 2 in both series take place Wednesday at 6 p.m.
