LINCOLN FALLS IN FINAL
Coventry jumps on Lincoln early, wins state title
PAWTUCKET – The Lincoln All-Stars had two things going for it prior to battling District III champion Coventry for the state Little League Major Division Tournament championship on Thursday night: First, for the only time all season, skipper Dale O’Dell won the coin toss and elected to be the home club.
And, second, Coventry manager Lou Simon decided not to start righty ace Tom Turner, the same kid who had two-hit the Lincolnites in the opener, even though he was eligible.
Some folks in the crowd at Darlington American’s Cosmini Field home thought that odd; one stated, “If you’re playing a championship game, you go for the throat.”
He instead opted to go with fellow righthander Jake Mather, and despite an early hiccup proved to be a solid alternative. He lasted 3 1/3 innings, scattering two hits, two runs (both earned) and six walks while fanning five during Coventry’s 12-2 blowout triumph before several hundreds fans surrounding all fences.
Mather also helped himself at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a dinger, three RBI and three runs scored. The only one to outduel him, and that turned out to be slight at best, was Logan Lama, who finished with the same stats but also doubled, homered and came within a three-bagger of hitting for the cycle.
With the victory, the Kent County squad qualified for the Little League New England Regional competition beginning next Sunday in Bristol, Conn.
“We didn’t hit; we didn’t do our jobs at the plate,” O’Dell sighed after the contest, one that ended his team’s campaign at 4-2 overall. “It was no dice for this Lincoln team … You know, it’s a shame, because this wasn’t a true representation of our season. Then again, you have to give them credit (because) they’re a good team.
“This same group won states as 10 and 11 year olds, and we the New Englands as 10s,” he added. “We made a couple of errors in that first inning and got behind early; we also had a couple of injuries as well, and those didn’t help.
“I will say I’m still very proud of all of our guys.”
Lincoln southpaw Zach Evans started the top of the first, surrendering two walks to Tyler Simon and Sam Fuentes – on nine deliveries. Turner then reached on a fielder’s choice, and Mather roped an infield hit off of Evans’ glove to plate Simon.
Kody Fretts followed with another fielder’s choice, and Turner hustled home on an ensuing error. Lama plated Mather on an opposite-field hit to right-center, and both scored on successive errors to give the “visitors” the 5-0 cushion.
Lincoln, however, didn’t need long to answer. Mather issued a pass to leadoff batter Jayden Champagne in the back half, and Donavon Lopez crushed a 1-1 pitch well over the center-field fence to immediately slice the deficit to 5-2.
Joey Conti, the usual second baseman, replaced Evans in the top of the second and actually kept Coventry at bay for three innings. In the third, he allowed Lama a one-out double to the right-center gap and Will Owens a RBI single to left, one that gave it the 6-2 lead.
In the interim, Lincoln squandered a pair of scoring chances in the second and third; in the latter frame, Carter Tillson drew a leadoff pass, took second on a passed ball and third on Mike Bowler’s groundout to the hill.
Mather, though, manufactured the next two outs to escape the inning.
Coventry broke it open in the fifth, and it came at a price for the District IV titleists.
Conti, who had pitched brilliantly, faced Mather to start the frame, and the latter scorched a low liner up the middle, one that apparently hit the hurler in the stomach. Conti went down as if struck by lightning, and tourney officials quickly called for paramedics.
Conti was taken away to a local hospital with his mon, while his dad – first-base coach Joe – remained with the team. Reliever Ryan Allen retired his first batter, but Lama ripped a two-run shot to deep center, and two passes, an error and the younger Simon’s RBI triple pushed the score to 10-2.
“It was a great all-around game for us,” the elder Simon said. “We started out quickly in the first, and that allowed us to take control of the game. As the game went on, Jake settled in and ended up pitching very well.”