South Vineland comes from behind to stop Pennsville in District 3 American Division battle of unbeatens; Pennsville now looks to clinch a 2 seed in Saturday’s pool finale
DISTRICT 3 LL TOURNAMENT
THURSDAY’S GAME
South Vineland 7, Pennsville 2
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
VINELAND – Before the start of their District 3 Little League Tournament showdown with South Vineland Thursday, the Pennsville players’ focus was squarely on winning the game and clinching the top seed out of the American Division.
After the third inning the mission had changed. It had gone from just winning the game to doing everything going forward for their friend and teammate Caiden Colomy.
The Pennsville third baseman took a foul ball in the face batting in the top of the third inning and had to leave the game. The players who remained gave it all they had before things unraveled in the fifth inning and South Vineland went on to take a 7-2 victory for the upper hand in the division.
“Even the kids were saying ‘Let’s do it for Chili,’” Pennsville manager Steve Pangle said. “They were trying to do it for their teammate and friend who got hurt.”
Pennsville trailed 3-2 when Colomy came to the plate with two outs in the third. The ball came off the bat and hit him in the nose and forehead, leaving a bruise around his left eye. He was taken to a nearby hospital for care. Reports to Pangle shortly after the game indicated Colomy was fine just waiting for the doctor. Tests later revealed no fractures, but the player will have to follow up with the eye doctor.
His status for Saturday’s pool play finale wasn’t immediately known. Pennsville plays at Bridgeton, the weakest team in the division, with the expectation of locking up the 2 seed in the division for the round-robin stage of the tournament, so they probably could play without him although they’d prefer all hands on deck. It was said Colomy didn’t want to come out of the game when he was injured.
With him out, Pennsville not only loses its regular third baseman, but the No. 2 hitter in the lineup and another pitcher.
“You could see in previous games what our 1, 2, 3, 4 hitters have done,” Pangle said. “He brings a lot to the game, both at third base and as our 2 hitter. He’s in the 2 hole for a reason. So, yeah, that hurt having to skip his spot. That gave us one less hitter, one less contact hitter, to have in the game.
“It hurt, but the kids kept their heads up there for a while, especially when he got hurt, and that was big turning it into the game for Chili.”
For the record, the first four hitters in Pennsville’s lineup were a combined 8-for-20 with six runs, six RBIs, two doubles, two homers and a .700 on-base percentage in the first two games. Colomy was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and pitched in each game.
John Swiderski hits behind Colomy in the lineup. He assumed Colomy’s 0-1 count when play resumed and promptly singled up the middle. Everybody in the order moved up a spot. Brayden Weatherbee took over at third base in the bottom of the inning, later trading places with catcher Caleb Fontaine in the fourth.
“Everyone was trying to rally because he was hurt,” Swiderski said. “I knew what was going on. I knew it couldn’t be an automatic out; that happened to me before. It ramped me up. I wanted to win.”
The night started well for Pennsville. They scored twice in the first inning with the help of three errors that helped them circle the bases. South Vineland tied it in the bottom of the inning on back-to-back RBI doubles, took the lead in the second and extended it in the fourth to bring a pitching change.
Pennsville put together a threat in the fifth, putting the tying runs in scoring position with one out and the top of the order that would have included Colomy coming to the plate, but they couldn’t bring them home.
“It just didn’t work out,” Pangle said. “It was a high-pressure point (n the game). Nine out of 10 times he’s going to come through. This just happened to be that one time.”
South Vineland made them pay by scoring three in the bottom of the inning taking advantage of the same shortcomings Pennsville did in the first inning. South Vineland can clinch the No. 1 seed in the American Division by beating Buena Friday.
South Vineland 7, Pennsville 2
| Pennsville | 200 | 000- | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| South Vineland | 210 | 13X- | 7 | 4 | 3 |
District 3 LL Tournament
| AMERICAN | W | L | RUNS | NATIONAL | W | L | RUNS |
| S. Vineland | 3 | 0 | 31-9 | x-E. Vineland | 3 | 0 | 29-15 |
| Pennsville | 2 | 1 | 10-11 | Millville Amer | 1 | 1 | 13-12 |
| Buena | 1 | 1 | 13-3 | W. Cumberland | 1 | 2 | 15-16 |
| Elmer | 1 | 2 | 26-13 | Penns Grove | 0 | 2 | 5-18 |
| Bridgeton | 0 | 3 | 2-46 |
FRIDAY’S GAMES
South Vineland at Buena, 5:45 p.m.
Penns Grove at Millville American, 5:45 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Pennsville at Bridgeton, 5 p.m.
Elmer at Buena, 5 p.m.
MONDAY’S GAME
(At Pennsville LL)
American 1 vs. National 2, 5:45 p.m.
East Vineland vs. American 2, 8 p.m.
Riverview Sports News 