The Eastern Regional Champion Kennett Kings never gave up the lead in their Little League Senior Division World Series game against Central Champion Clear Ridge Little League of Chicago, but they sure waited long enough to make sure there was no doubt they would win the game.

The Kennett 16-year-olds scored four runs in the first inning and five in the seventh to defeat the Illinois squad, 9-4, in pool play of the Little League Senior Division World Series in Bangor, Maine. Atop their pool with a 3-0 record, the Eastern champs from Kennett will face off against Latin American Champion Chitre Little League of Panama Wednesday at 8 p.m. The Panamanian team is 2-0. The outcome of the game very likely could determine if Kennett will advance to the tournament semifinals on Friday.

“Everybody knows what the game against Panama means,” said Manager Todd Duerr. “We met with the team in the hotel courtyard to talk about the game plan and the significance. Panama is stellar defensively and backs it up with deep pitching. So it’s probably going to be bats against bats and see what happens.  We certainly respect them, but we’re not afraid.”

Before the game, Duerr reminded that team that at this point in the World Series, “everything is earned. We had to keep in mind that Chicago had two tough losses and they wanted to go home and say they won a World Series game. We were standing in their way.’

Continuing to hit the cover off the baseball, every starter in the Eastern champions’ lineup had at least one hit. Leading the way was shortstop Eric Tarkoushian, who had two hits in four at-bats and was the only player to knock in more than one runs with two RBI. Eric Catcher Eric Duerr and designated hitter Dan Garver each had three hits. “I was seeing the ball really well tonight,” Garver said, “and every pitch was in my wheelhouse.”

In what has become expected for the Kings, Drew Jarmuz led off the game with a hard single through third base. Alex Pechin laid down a bunt single, followed by Eric Duerr hitting a single through shortstop to load the bases.  Joe Zirolli knocked in the first run with a single to left field, Tucker Reese accounted for the next run on a fielder’s choice, Andrew Jones singled to score Zirolli, and Eric Takoushian plated the 4^th run of the inning on a groundout to second base.

“We started off well hitting,” said Coach Mike Pechin, but I think there was a bit of overconfidence. We thought we were going to roll over this team because they were 0-2. We had to regain our composure.”

The Kennett squad uncharacteristically committed two errors in the second inning with one out, which led to two runs for the Chicago squad. With Illinois players at second and third base, pitcher Joe Zirolli ended the inning with two strikeouts. In the third inning, a single before and a single after Zirolli hit a batter accounted for the Chicagoans third run.

“We played a poor defensive inning, and when you play poor defensively, it does carry over to the offense,” said Coach Mike Pechin. Contributing to the East team’s difficulties at the plate was a change by Illinois starting pitcher Quinn Snarskis, who switched from throwing overhand to sidearm. “Our guys weren’t being selective; they didn’t work the count, swinging at first pitches. They needed to make adjustments at the plate.

Depending on your point of view, the fourth through the sixth innings were either nail-biting or boring as only three batters reached base.

With the score still 4-3, Duerr said he and the team were fully confident that they would come out with a 4-3 win. However, Pechin said the team “was well aware that the game isn’t over until the last out. We’ve pulled out games at our last at-bat against other teams, so we know it can be done.

When Chicago removed starting pitcher Snarskis, it seemed the East squad reawakened, batted around and put on a hitting fireworks show similar to the one in the first inning.  With one out, Zirolli started the final onslaught with a line drive single to leftfield followed by Tucker Reese’s line drive single to leftfield. A passed ball and an error on the Clear Ridge second baseman led to Kennett’s first run. Takoushian singled through shortstop to score courtesy runner Chris Tucker before Dan Garver, Jake Freeman and Chris Jarmuz hit back-to-back-to back singles to end the Kennett Square 16-year-olds’ scoring. While the Kings’ top hitters reversed form from not performing mid-game to hitting the ball again in the last inning, Duerr said “we were lucky.  They gave us four runs.”

Middle reliever Ryan Barrett pitched two-and-two thirds innings of middle relief before Reese entered the game to pitch the final inning. While there was little drama in the 7^th,  the ball found Barrett on his first play in the infield after moving from pitcher. He made a stab at a hard drive to third base and calmly turned it into a Barrett-to-Freeman-to Jones double play for the first two outs of the final frame before Reese induced the final hitter into a groundout to second base.

The East’s coaching squad, as all coaching squads in the Series, are trying to conserve their pitchers, so it will be pitching by committee as much as possible against Panama on Wednesday.  Should the weather be something other than rain, snow, or fog, the the games are played as scheduled, and KAU’s Eastern champs advance to the semifinals, they should have an advantage when deciding who will be the man on the mound for the semis. They do not play Thursday, which will give their pitchers an extra day’s rest.

Submitted by Mary Walter