BANGOR, Maine — Dan Howald scattered six hits over 6 ⅔ innings Tuesday night as the Upper Moreland all-stars advanced to the Senior League World Series semifinals with a 5-1 victory over defending champion West University, Texas, in a winners’ bracket game at Mansfield Stadium.
The U.S. East righthander kept the U.S. Southwest champions off-balance throughout the game, which was interrupted after the first inning by a two-hour, two-minute rain delay that pushed back the start of the evening’s late game between Maine District 3 champion Old Town and Holmes County, Ohio, to approximately 9:30 p.m.
“It’s pretty typical,” said Howald of his performance. “I’m not normally a strikeout pitcher so I like to rely on my defense and I have confidence in them.”
Howald had just one strikeout while hitting two batters and walking one, but he also induced 12 fly-ball outs — eight to the outfield — before reaching the 95-pitch Senior League limit. Kevin Walder came on to get the last out and earn the save.
“This guy won our regional and he doesn’t overpower anybody,” said Upper Moreland manager Ron Kohn, his arm around Howald during the postgame press conference. “But he knows how to pitch. He hits spots and frustrates hitters.”
Upper Moreland (2-0 in the SLWS) will play its semifinal at 5 p.m. Thursday against the winner of Wednesday’s 8 p.m. game between West University, Texas, and Dumfries, Virginia, the two teams in the bracket with one loss.
“I looked at that bracket last week and said, ‘Boy, we got the short end of that straw,’” said Ron Kohn. “Honest to God, we were on the flight coming up here and on the bus and we talked, and I told the kids we’re going to have a good time and I’m going to play everybody.
“That went out the door I think Saturday after we had opening-day ceremonies. I said, ‘Let’s just go up there and win, let’s shock everybody.’”
Howald and West University, Texas, starter Joe Sondock each pitched a hitless first inning before a thunderstorm halted the game.
Upper Moreland struck immediately upon the resumption of play, scoring two runs in the top of the second to take the early lead.
Jon Searles drew a leadoff walk, but courtesy runner Matt Wister was still at second base with two outs.
Nick DeLucas kept the inning alive with an infield single that chopped over the pitcher’s mound, then Christian Leighton singled to center to load the bases before Ryan Lowry and Randy Meehl each drew an RBI walk to plate Wister and DeLucas.
West University, Texas, got one run back in the bottom of the third on back-to-back two-out doubles to deep right field by William James and Jimmy Winston.
Upper Moreland had runners on first and second with one out in the fifth as Lowry hit an infield single to shortstop, Meehl hit a fielder’s choice grounder to second and Kohn grounded a single to left. But Sondock escaped by getting Andy Iehle and Searles to fly out to right field.
With fog beginning to engulf the outfield on a field created in 1991 thanks to a $1.2 million donation by noted horror writer and Bangor resident Stephen King, the U.S. East champs added to their lead in the sixth, scoring three runs to extend their cushion to 5-1.
Nick Pagano and DeLucas walked and Walder was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. Leighton followed with a sacrifice fly to center to drive home Pagano before Wister hit a pinch single to deliver Walder.
Meehl’s fielder’s choice grounder to short then plated DeLucas to make it a four-run game.
“We’ve got a ton of support back home, people are going nuts back there,” said Ron Kohn, “and we brought a big fan base up here. It’s what it’s all about, and we’re just going to try to take advantage of it.
“We’re in the driver’s seat right now, I’ve got some good pitchers set for Thursday and we’ll see how we do.”
US Southeast 9, Latin America 6
The U.S. Southeast team from Dumfries, Virginia, scored seven times in the first inning en route to victory over Latin America on Tuesday morning.
It was the first win in the tourney for the squad from Dumfries, Virginia (1-1), while the contingent from Willemstad, Curacao, slipped to 0-2.
Liam Kelly and Colton Lee each drove in two runs with a double to pace U.S. Southeast. Carson Arguin collected three singles, while Ethan Semones singled twice with an RBI.
Starter Lee worked 3 ⅓ innings of one-hit, one-run ball among four pitchers for the winners. Tommy Wells closed out the contest by pitching 2 ⅓ innings, giving up two hits and a run with three strikeouts.
Latin America, which committed five errors, was paced at the plate by two singles and two RBIs from Ralison Bentura and Siamari Boekhoudt’s double and two RBIs.
Asia Pacific 8, Europe-Africa 4
In the early afternoon game, Asia Pacific scored eight runs over the first four innings to set the tone for the win.
The team from Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, was led by No. 9 hitter Anthony Agulto, who singled twice and knocked in two runs.
Roke Tenorio (double) and Virgil Secharmidal each contributed two hits and an RBI, while winning pitcher Nathan Camacho singled twice for Asia Pacific (2-1). Camacho allowed four hits and three runs (2 earned) with four strikeouts and seven walks in 4 ⅓ innings.
Piero Cianfriglia singled twice, while Lorenzo Oliveiri and Francesco Faccendini each posted a single with an RBI for the ballclub from Lazio, Italy. Europe-Africa, which committed five errors, slipped to 1-2.
