Shorthanded Buena erupts for 10 runs in final two innings, scores its first win, hands Penns Grove first loss in District 3 LL Tournament
DISTRICT 3 TOURNAMENT
Buena 11, Penns Grove 6
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
BUENA — Penns Grove was on a generational run in its first two games of this year’s District 3 Little League Tournament, but there was something different about it on a hot Tuesday night.
Shorthanded Buena erupted for 10 runs in the final two innings to score its first win of the tournament and hand Penns Grove its first loss, 11-6.
Penns Grove rallied from deficits to 1-0 and 5-3 to tie the game in the home fifth before Buena, down to 10 players due to injuries, erupted for six runs in the top of the sixth to take ultimate control.
Before Buena came to life in the fifth, Penns Grove had given up just three runs in its first 14 tournament innings.
“I think they dealt with same thing last night (at Pennsville) we did tonight,” Penns Grove manager Steve Raymond said. “My guys were flat. They were flat and made some mistakes on the bases … it all adds up.
“We weren’t the team we were the other two games, I can tell you that. But I’d rather get it out of the way now so they know how much it sucks (to lose).”
Penns Grove tied the game 1-1 in the third on Lucas Vong’s RBI single, but had two runners thrown out at home plate. They took a 3-1 lead in the fourth on Achillius Vong’s solo homer and Jimmy LaPalomento’s RBI triple and it looked for a time it was going to stand the way Tanner Raymond was dealing in relief on the mound.
The manager’s son put up zeroes on 23 pitches in the third and fourth innings behind starter Lucas Ware. But Buena solved him in the fifth, scoring four runs with timely hitting and the kind of aggressive base running Penns Grove has been known for early in the tournament to take a 5-3 lead.
Shawn Poindexter, Lucas Vong and Nolan O’Brien all had two hits for Penns Grove. Jace Nimohay had three hits and was a homer shy of the cycle for Buena.
The loss knocked Penns Grove out a tie for first place in the American Division with Millville. They play Millville in their final pool game Friday night, but Millville has a date with Pennsville the next night that could decide everybody’s fate.
“We told them we’ve got to forget this one,” Raymond said. “It’s done.”
BUENA 11, PENNS GROVE 6
| Buena | 100 046- | 11 | 9 | 0 |
| Penns Grove | 001 221- | 6 | 9 | 0 |
WP: Dalton Maldonado. LP: Aiden Robertson. 2B: Jace Nimohay (B), Levi Myers (B), Shawn Poindexter (PG). 3B: Jace Nimohay (B),Jimmy LaPalomento (PG). HR: Achillius Vong (PG). RBI:Jonah Matos (B), Jace Nimohay (B) 2, Stephen Pollock (B) 2, Levi Myers (B) 3, Bryce Hutnick (B) 2; Aiden Robertson (PG), Achillius Vong (PG), Jimmy LaPalomento (PG), Lucas Vong (PG).
District 3 standings
| AMERICAN | NATIONAL | ||
| Millville | 2-0 | East Vineland | 2-0 |
| Penns Grove | 2-1 | South Vineland | 1-1 |
| Pennsville | 1-1 | Elmer | 1-1 |
| Buena | 1-2 | West Cumberland | 0-2 |
| North Vineland | 0-2 |
Wednesday’s Games
No games scheduled
Thursday’s Games
Pennsville at North Vineland, 5:45 p.m.
East Vineland at West Cumberland, 5:45 p.m.
Friday’s Games
Penns Grove at Millville, 5:45 p.m.
Elmer at South Vineland, 5:45 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Millville at Pennsville, 5 p.m.
Buena at North Vineland, 5 p.m.
(End of pool play)
Riverview Sports News 