Allen hits Lincoln to final
Defending New England champions dominating field
PAWTUCKET — The Lincoln All-Star squad had just hit four home runs in a 13-3 mercy-rule drubbing of Portsmouth in the R.I. Little League Major Division (10-11) Tournament winners’ bracket final at Slater Park’s Richard Cosimini Memorial Field on Sunday evening, but skipper Joe Conti seemed more impressed by his guys’ play in the field. Unusual? Not really. “What a barrage that was!” he stated after his post-game chat with his troops in shallow left field, but he immediately switched gears.
“Still, I thought the story of the game was the defense. We made five or six web gems, and – if we don’t make them – they would’ve went for hits, then we would have found ourselves in a dogfight.”
The Lincoln bunch tagged Portsmouth righty starter Seth Whittington for nine hits, and six went for extra bases.
Ryan Allen led the contingent, going 2-for-3 with a pivotal grand slam, a walk, four RBIs and two runs scored, while Luke Porcaro went 2for-2 with a solo shot, RBI and three runs.
Other significant batting performances came from clean-up hitter Will Denio (1-for-3, walk, homer, three RBI, run); Donavon Lopez (2-for-3, “tater,” pass, three RBI, two runs); Joey Conti (1-for-2, freebie, RBI); Jayden Champagne (1-for-3, hit-bypitch, two runs); and Carter Tillson (0-for-1, HBP, two runs).
The younger Conti also earned the win after scattering three hits and an unearned run without issuing a walk. He also fanned a pair, but did strike a batter and had two wild deliveries.
He nevertheless improved his record to 3-0 in All-Star competition.
His dad and skipper indicated his squad continues to rip the baseball, and it’s because of hitting coach Dale O’Dell.
“Dale has our guys firing on all cylinder at the plate,” Conti noted.
We made five or six web gems, and – if we don’t make them – they would’ve went for hits, then we would have found ourselves in a dogfight.” – Lincoln’s Joe Conti
“They lay off the soft stuff and look for fastballs in, then they drive it. He’s a hitting guru, and we wouldn’t be hitting this well without him.”
With the triumph, Lincoln (7-0 overall) qualified for the championship tilt, slated for 6 p.m., Wednesday at the Cosmini diamond. It will battle the victor of the losers’ bracket final between Portsmouth and East Greenwich; that contest is scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday.
The winner of that game must defeat Lincoln twice to claim the state crown.
Given Sunday night’s result, it won’t come easy.
Portsmouth jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the back half of the first, with eventual losing hurler Seth Whittington reaching on a one-out, infield hit and moving to second on John Mass’ groundout to second.
Whittington hustled home on Shane Harvey’s roped hit to right-center, and the latter gained second on the heave home. After a wild pitch, Derek Gesmondi took advantage of the 11-year-old Conti’s underhand overthrow to first, allowing Harvey to score.
The visitors, however, didn’t know the fireworks were about to begin. Leadoff hitter Porcaro lifted a 2-1 fastball from Whittington well over the rightcenter fence, and Joey Conti walked, Tillson was hit by an offering and – with one down – Whittington struck Champagne with another to juice the bags.
Lopez followed with a hard grounder to shortstop Mass, but he fired to the plate to get Conti sliding in, but Allen hammered his “grannie” far over the center-field wall to quickly give the visitors the 5-2 cushion.
Harvey replaced Whittington at that point, and walked Denio on four straight pitches, but Bryce Garthee lined out to second to end the surge.
Lincoln manufactured four more in the top of the third to bolster the cushion to 9-2, though it started harmlessly enough. Porcaro managed a ground hit to center, then gained second and third on wild pitches. Conti popped out to second, but Tillson’s easy grounder was muffed by third baseman Jack Humm. That allowed Porcaro to sprint home.
Catcher Noah Campanelli drew a pass, and – following Champagne’s bounder to the mound – Lopez nailed a blast into the top of a tree beyond the center-field fence for the threerun homer.
Portsmouth got a run back in the bottom half after Whittington (2-for-3) drilled a dinger to right-center, though Conti quickly squelched that potential rally.
Conti’s crew tacked on another in the fourth – and with two outs. Porcaro earned first on a dropped fly in center, and Joey Conti sliced a bloop twobagger down the right-field stripe to plate him, giving Lincoln the 10-3 lead.
In the back half, it appeared the home team would answer in the same fashion. After Conti captured two quick outs, the first on Ethan Gray’s spectacular running catch of a Gesmondi liner down the right-field line, he struck Jack Humm with an offering. Twin brother Jay Humm beat out an infield miscue, yet Conti whiffed pinchhitter Brad Maroto to close the frame.
The District 4 champions more or less ended it in the fifth when Champagne singled to right, Allen sprinted out an infield hit and Denio smoked a three-run “tater” well over the left-field chain links.
The defense in which the older Conti referred came from, in part, Allen, who recorded four assists at third, including two in the bottom of the fifth. Denio took over for the kid Conti and retired the side in order, thus invoking the 10-run “mercy” rule.
“Ryan played terrific at third, Porcaro had a backhand pick at second, Lopez laid out for a sinking liner in center and Ethan Gray made that running catch down the right-field line,” Coach Conti said. “Joey had a little battle with the jitters in the first, making that throwing error. We would’ve got out of it without it, but then he settled in and pitched well.
“That’s what our guys on the hill have to do – pound the strike zone, and give the offense time to get rolling,” he continued. “We played very well against a very good team in Portsmouth, which beat Cranston Western, 8-0, (on Saturday).
“Like I said, the defense was the key, and we’re going to need more of it. With Dale, the offense should take care of itself.” Lincoln 054 13 – 13 – 9 – 2 Portsmouth 201 00 –3–3–2 Joey Conti, Will Denio (5) and Noah Campanelli, Mike Bowler (4). Seth Whittington, Shane Harvey (2) and Nick Spaner. 2B – Donavon Lopez, Conti. HR – Lopez, Ryan Allen, Luke Porcaro, Denio, Whittington.