NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The Berkshire Reign exploded for seven runs in the top of the fourth and held off the Berkshire Bananas down the stretch to earn a 12-11 win in the 17-and-under Division of the 1791 Classic at Joe Wolfe Field on Saturday.

 

Darius Taliferro hit a three-run double, and Robby Bazinet hit a two-run double in the winning rally as the Reign finished pool play with a record of 3-0 and the top seed in Sunday morning’s semi-finals.

 

Scott Hoffman went 2-for-3 with a triple for the Reign in a wild game filled with momentum swings.

 

The Bananas jumped on top with four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-2 lead only to see the Reign take a slim, 5-4 advantage after three.

 

Then, after the Reign scored seven times in the fourth to take a 12-4 lead, the run-rule was on the table, and all looked lost for the Bananas.

 

But they got off the mat with a five-run rally in the bottom of the fourth and scored twice in the fifth and had the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at second in what was sure to be the game’s final inning due to the tournament’s time rule.

 

But Reign reliever Trevor Leonard delivered his only strikeout in an inning and a third on the mound when he needed it most to close the door and secure the win.