Broomall-Newtown’s run comes to an end in Series

Through four innings Tuesday night, Broomall-Newtown appeared to be headed to the semifinals in the Babe Ruth 13U Worlds Series.

The Middle Atlantic Regional champions had a onerun lead on Southwest Regional champion Eagle Pass, Texas, and starting pitcher Justin Brennan was in a groove after giving up two runs (one earned) in the top of the first inning. And then the Texas offense came to life. Eagle Pass scored nine unanswered runs in the final three innings, seven in the decisive fifth inning, to beat Broomall-Newtown, 11-3, at McClain Park in Mountain Home, Ark.

The loss ended Broomall-Newtown’s bid for a second World Series title in the 13U age group in the last five years. Broomall-Newtown finished tournament play with a 19-3 record that included an 18-game winning streak.

The win sends Eagle Pass into Wednesday’s 9 p.m. semifinal against Southeast champ Greenville, N.C.

In the other quarterfinal, Five Cities, Calif., the Pacific Southwest champ, blanked the host, Mountain Home, 7-0, to set up a meeting with New England champ Greater Portland, Maine, in the first semifinal Wednesday at 6:30.

Eagle Pass turned four hits, three walks and an error into a seven-run rally in the fifth inning that transformed a 3-2 deficit into a commanding 9-3 advantage. Five of the runs came with two outs.

The big blow was a three-run double by Diego Martinez. The Texans went on to add single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to close out the victory.

Meanwhile, B-N’s offense struggled after putting three runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning to erase a 2-0 deficit. B-N did have six base runners over the next four innings but could not get a run home. Eagle Pass pitchers Luis Kancheff Jr. and Juan Martinez Jr. teamed up to retire the last six Broomall-Newtown hitters in order to end the contest.

Jake Micewski and Joe Verrekia finished with three hits each for Broomall-Newtown. Verrekia also knocked in a run and scored once. Alex Bruno also had one hit, one RBI and one run scored, while Jonny Small contributed one hit and one RBI.