Continental wins City Series crown

SEKO edges National champ Brennan’s Braces on walk-off

Posted 8/5/14

Warwick Continental’s SEKO Worldwide and Warwick National’s Brennan’s Braces were on a collision course this baseball season, even if they didn’t know it. Out of more than 40 combined games, …

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Continental wins City Series crown

SEKO edges National champ Brennan’s Braces on walk-off

Posted

Warwick Continental’s SEKO Worldwide and Warwick National’s Brennan’s Braces were on a collision course this baseball season, even if they didn’t know it. Out of more than 40 combined games, they lost just one each on their way to league championships in the spring. After reconvening last week, they both cruised through the Warwick City Series bracket for a spot in Friday’s championship game at Warwick American.

And Warwick’s best teams delivered a fitting championship.

A game marked by strong pitching and highlight-reel defense came down to the last of the sixth inning, where SEKO broke a 3-3 tie on a walk-off single by Cam Gothberg and won 4-3.

“It was a great game – good pitching, good defense, timely hits,” said SEKO manager Mike Gannon. “They had the big home run in the first inning. Nice swing by them. We typically pitch and play defense. That’s been our signature. Tonight, allowing just the three runs was great and we came through in the sixth.”

Neither team could gain much separation until the final inning. Brennan’s Braces took a 2-0 lead out of the gates, but SEKO answered with two in the second. They each scored a run in the fourth but remained deadlocked until the sixth. Starting pitchers Dimitri Ayers and Cody Anter matched each other pitch for pitch, with relievers Tyler Brunelle and Jack Gannon picking up where they left off.

“Both teams played real well,” said Brennan’s manager Russell Luce. “Our kids played a great game. They did it all season.”

Ultimately, SEKO just had the last chance.

Anter walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth and John Pina worked a walk in a six pitch at-bat. Gothberg then smashed a 1-1 pitch on the ground to the left side, and Brennan’s Braces barely had a shot at it as the ball rocketed into the outfield. Anter raced around with the winning run.

“I felt very good with that part of the order coming up,” Mike Gannon said. “I said in the dugout, the first three guys due up were all 12-year-olds. They’re about to age out of Little League, so I was really hoping one of those three guys would come through. All three of them came through. It was a great way for them to go out.”

The winning run marked the first time SEKO had led all game. Brennan’s had been on the offensive before that, scoring two in the first on an Andrew Merryfield home run and one in the fourth on consecutive doubles by Colin Lemieux and Brunelle.

“We just had to play our game, the way we’ve been playing all season,” Luce said. “We didn’t change anything – same lineup, same defense. They were confident but they knew they were playing a very good team.”

And they were reminded when SEKO answered both Brennan’s rallies.

In the bottom of the second, Pina walked, Alex Pennachini doubles and A.J. Sherlock knocked both runners in with a base hit up the middle. In the bottom of the fourth, after Brennan’s had jumped back in front, Gothberg doubled and – with two outs – Sherlock brought him in with a single.

Apart from those innings, Ayers was in control on the mound for Brennan’s, working out of any trouble he encountered. He also had help behind him. Merryfield snagged a line drive at shortstop and scooped a ground ball smash in the same inning, while Lemieux made a diving catch in right field in the fourth.

SEKO also shined with the gloves, especially late in the game. When Gannon relieved Anter in the fifth inning, he was greeted by a bunt and a chopper right back to him. With a man on base, he made both plays to end the inning.

In the top of the sixth, Brennan’s threatened when a hit batsman and a single by Merryfield put two on with nobody out. Lemieux followed with a hard ground ball right back through the box. Gannon knocked it down, but as the ball trickled away toward second base, it looked like he would have no play. Instead he hopped off the mound, picked up the ball with his bare hand, spun and fired to first for the inning-ending out.

“That play was a difference-maker,” Mike Gannon said. “If he doesn’t make that play, they’ve got bases loaded.”

SEKO didn’t have to worry about that, focusing instead on its final at-bat in a tie game. The middle of the order delivered, and a champion was crowned.

Brennan’s Braces settled for second place after just its second loss of the whole year.

“It was super,” Luce said of the season. “We only lost two games. We played great baseball.”

SEKO celebrated.

“We had a great season,” Gannon said. “Including the City Series, I think we went 26-1. It was just very successful. All the kids deserve the credit. They’re a very hard-working group and they had a lot of fun this year.”

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