The first US Bracket elimination game opened action at Howard J. Lamade Stadium as the Mid-Atlantic, represented by the Holbrook Little League of Jackson, New Jersey took the field against the Great Lakes, represented by the Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores Little League of Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
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The Mid-Atlantic looked like they would get off to a hot start as their lead-off man, Ryan Kinsman, started things off with a double to the outfield wall. He would end up stranded at third base as the next three Mid-Atlantic batters would be retired in order.
The Great Lakes would take the early lead in the contest in the Bottom of the 1st Inning as the first two batters, Drew Hill and Matthew Greene, would reach on a Hit-By-Pitch and a Bunt Single, respectively. The Great Lakes would then capitalize on an J.R. Osmond error behind the plate to bring both Hill and Greene home, giving them a 2-0 lead over the Mid-Atlantic through one inning.
The Mid-Atlantic would respond in the Top of the 2nd by sending 10 men to the plate and bringing 5 around on four hits, highlighted by a 2 RBI double from Chris Cartnick. The Mid-Atlantic would take a 5-2 lead over the Great Lakes into the bottom of the frame.
The Great Lakes answered right back in the Bottom of the 2nd, getting back to back singles to from Ryan Jones and Will Pflaum. Jones would score on an RBI groundout from Drew Hill, and Pflaum would score on an E3 to bring the Great Lakes within one run. Joey Randazzo would tie the game back up with two outs, as he hit a solo shot to right field.
Things would calm down for the third inning for both teams as the Mid-Atlantic just got one run from Garrett Drew on an RBI Fielder’s Choice from Ryan Kinsman, and the Great Lakes got two baserunners from walks, but left them both stranded.
The dynamic of this game changed in a big way in the 4th inning, as Chris Cartnick would lead off the inning with a solo home run into the Batter’s Eye in Center Field, giving the Mid-Atlantic a two run lead. That would be the start of a half-inning that saw 12 Mid-Atlantic players come to the plate and 9 coming around to score. The scoring was highlighted by a 3 RBI double from Chris Andrews, a 2 RBI single from Charlie Meglio, and the second homer of the inning for Chris Cartnick, this time a three-run shot to push the Mid-Atlantic lead to ten.
The Great Lakes would go down in order in the bottom of the frame, and the Mid-Atlantic took this one 15-5, keeping their championship hopes alive while ending the Great Lakes’ tournament run.
For the Mid-Atlantic, they will now move on into another elimination game, facing the loser of the West and the Southeast at 3pm on Monday at Howard J. Lamade Stadium. For the Great Lakes, their shot at the World Championship is over, but they get one more game on Monday at 11:00 a.m. as they face Europe-Africa in a Consolation Game.
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