BEVERLY — On Saturday, one strike away from victory, it was a heartbreaking grand slam by Danvers National that sent the Gloucester Little League all-star team to defeat.
On Sunday, needing a victory to stay alive in the District 15 Williamsport tournament, the hot bats that had been prevalent throughout postseason play suddenly deserted them.
As a result, Boxford took advantage of some defensive miscues and sent Gloucester home for the summer with a 5-1 loss at Harry Ball Field.
“We knew it’d be tough to come back from (Saturday’s loss), but we had our big arm going in Colton (Currier) and he was great,” said manager Brendan Fullerton, whose team had finished second in its bracket with a 3-1 record during pool play before advancing to the double elimination Final Four format.
“Defense tends to win these things, and unfortunately we had a few miscues that led to some runs against … plus, our bats went ice cold. Hitting had been one of our strengths this whole tournament, but when we had some favorable counts like 1-and-0 and 2-and-0, we didn’t put good swings on those.”
Gloucester managed just four hits off of Boxford hurlers Henry Carrieri and Harry Stevens, who each threw three innings Sunday. But only two came over the first five innings as Boxford plated two runs in both the second and fifth and one in the third to take a big lead on a 90-degree day.
Boxford notched just three hits against Currier and reliever Max Curcuru, who came on with two outs in the fifth inning. But they were disciplined enough to draw eight walks and ultimately sent 34 batters to the plate.
“I’ll continue to say that pitching and defense is the way to win baseball games,” said Boxford manager Paul DeLeo, whose team advanced to meet Danvers National in Tuesday’s loser’s bracket final (6 p.m.) back at Harry Ball.
The winner of that one moves on to face unbeaten Middleton (a 2-0 winner over Danvers National in Sunday’s second game) Thursday for the District 15 crown.
Four of Boxford’s five runs came via unconventional methods: Hudson Maher scored from third base and Bennett Taeger motored all the way home from second on the same dropped third strike with two outs in the top of the second inning. Two more runs were plated in the fifth when a wild pitch brought Brendan Foley plateward, and Jake DeLeo scored after Maher was hit with a pitch with the bases loaded.
Its other run came in the third after Henry Pracht reached on a fielder’s choice, took second on a wild pitch and scored when Michael O’Hara laced a single to right. Gloucester’s Massimo Numerosi, a 9-year-old with a big arm, came up firing and his throw appeared to beat Pracht, but the ball was dropped at home plate.
“Being down hurts, but especially how we got down,” said Fullerton. “We just weren’t ourselves. They didn’t beat us as much as we beat ourselves.
“But hey, they’re 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds doing the best they can and trying to have fun. That’s all you can ask for.”
Drew Aiello’s RBI single to right field scored Numerosi (who had walked) with two outs in the sixth for Gloucester to prevent the shutout. Remy Jerome (double), Harry Larabell and Jack Brancaleone also hit safely.
Both teams turned 4-6-3 double plays Sunday, with Aiello, Braydon Simon and Brancaleone turning the trick for Gloucester to end the top of the first.
Boxford responded with one of its own in the third as Taeger, Jake DeLeo and O’Hara made it happen.
Fullerton also lauded the defensive work of Dante Holding in center field, who made a diving catch to end the first inning and snared a line drive to end the top of the sixth.
Third baseman Robbie Steach, Simon at shortstop, and left fielder/leadoff hitter Effie Parsons also earned their manager’s praise.