Little League World Series: Grosse Pointe Falls To Holbrook

GROSSE POINTE, MI — The Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores Little League team, representing the Great Lakes region, was handily defeated by the Mid-Atlantic regional champs 15-5 in an elimination game.

Grosse Pointe, which went 4-1 in the regional tournament, lost Saturday's game against the Jackson, New Jersey-based Holbrook Little League team. The game was played at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Holbrook will go on to play the loser of Sunday's contest between the West (based in Rio Santa Margarita, California) and the Southeast (based in Greenville, North Carolina). (For more information on the Grosse Pointe team and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Inning by inning recap below:

1st inning:

Holbrook's Ryan Kinsman hit a leadoff double to right-center field off pitcher Joey Randazzo, but Randazzo was able to escape the jam by striking out the next batter and induce back-to-back ground outs.

Holbrook pitcher Tai Mann started things off with a bang — literally — plunking Grosse Pointe's Drew Hill. Hill then ran directly into the first basemen on a subsequent sacrifice bunt attempt, during which the ball was thrown into right field because no one was on first base. After a review, the umpires sent Hill to third base and Matthew Greene to second base, ruling the first basemen obstructed Hill. With runners on second and third, nobody out, Joey Randazzo flied out to shallow center field. A good throw held the runners from scoring. A subsequent walk loaded the bases for Jack Jones. Jones flied out to a diving centerfielder, who made a good throw home to hold the runners again. The catcher then tried to throw out the runner at first, but ended up throwing the ball into right field, allowing two runs to score. Adam Ayrault was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third, but Mann was able to strike out Jordan Arseneau to end the threat.

2nd inning

Holbrook's R.J. Vashey lined out to second base to start the frame, but Garrett Drew was able to draw a walk off Grosse Pointe pitcher Randazzo. Charlie Meglio then singled on a laser to left field. The throw in rolled past the third basemen and went all the way to the wall, leaving runners safe at second and third base for Anthony Abbonizio. Drew later scored on a passed ball and the runner advanced to third. Mike Arent, running for Meglio, later scored on an Abbonizio single to left-center field, tying the game at two runs a piece. John Grano then hit an infield single to third base to put runners on first and second for Kinsman, who walked to load the bases. Randazzo struck out Mann for the second out in the inning, but a Chris Cartnick double scored two more runs to give Holbrook a 4-2 lead. Randazzo was then relieved by Will Pflaum.

J.R. Osmond grounded into a fielder's choice to shortstop, but the runner beat the tag at third base, allowing Kinsman to score. Pflaum then induced a Vashey ground out to end the threat.

Grosse Pointe's Ryan Jones hit a leadoff single to left field and Pflaum followed that up by hitting a bloop single to left field. Both runners advanced to second and third on a subsequent pitch that went to the back stop. Drew Hill later grounded out, scoring a run and advancing Pflaum to third. Pflaum later scored on an error by the catcher after a strikeout. Randazzo then homered to tie the game at five runs a piece. Joseph Wisniewski ended the inning on a ground out.

Third inning

Back-to-back walks to Holbrook's Garrett Drew and Meglio brought Arent to the plate. Pflaum got Arent to fly out to right field, but the runner on second advanced to third on the play. A subsequent strikeout brought up Chris Andrews. Andrews hit an infield single to shortstop, scoring Drew. With runners on first and second, Pflaum struck out Mann though to end the threat.

In the bottom of the third inning, Chris Andrews was brought in to pitch for Holbrook. He quickly induced two fly outs, but was releived by Dean Daddio after allowing back-to-back walks.

Daddio quickly induced an infield pop out.

Fourth inning

Holbrook's Chris Cartnick led off the top of the fourth with a moon shot home run to center field to put his team up by two. J.R. Osmond followed that up with a single on a hard ground ball that bounced off the arm of pitcher Pflaum.

After Matthew Greene relieved Pflaum for Grosse Pointe, Vashey singled on a ball deep to right-center field. A Daddio walk then loaded the bases for Meglio, who singled on a ball that bounced off the shortstop's glove, pushing Holbrook's lead to 9-5. After a fielder's choice, Andy Osmond ripped a single to center field to load the bases. Kinsman promptly cleared them, doubling to center field. Mann was then plunked in the left knee, bringing Cartnick — who already homered earlier in the inning — back to the plate. He crushed another home run deep into the crowd, this time a three-run shot. Ayrault was brought in to relieve Greene.

Chris Cartnick for the 2nd time today, 3rd of the LLWS. This kid is good. 15-5 New Jersey #LLWS pic.twitter.com/boiDWTnNMx
— Let Me B-Frank (@letmebfrankblog) August 19, 2017

Ayrault gave up a single but managed to get Grosse Pointe out of the inning by inducing a double play.

Grosse Pointe, down 10 runs, needed to score at least once to keep the game going, but the team went down in order in, ending the game.

Final score: 15-5

Grosse Pointe roster:

• Tommy Harris
• Braden Campbell
• Matthew Greene
• Joey Randazzo
• Tommy Schoeck
• Drew Hill
• Will Pflaum
• Adam Ayrault
• Joseph Wisniewski
• Chase Reinhard
• Jack Jones
• Jordan Arseneau
• Ryan Jones

Holbrook roster:

• Anthony Abbonizio
• Chris Andrews
• Mike Arent
• Chris Cartnick
• Dean Daddio
• Garrett Drew
• John Grano
• Ryan Kinsman
• Tai Mann
• Charlie Meglio
• Andy Osmond
• J.R. Osmond
• R.J. Vashey

Photos credit: Little League Baseball and Softball