Dalton-Hinsdale Little Leaguers Take Dramatic Win in Jimmy Fund Finale
Luke Fenig of the Great Barrington All-Stars is recognized for being the top individual fund-raiser of the John Codey Jimmy Fund Classic.
At the plate, they combined to go 5-for-7 with two walks and five RBIs.
In the field, they combined on a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth to preserve their team's slender lead.
Sievers, who moved from second base to the mound with one out in the fourth inning, struck out seven in 2 2/3 innings, including the game's final out to touch off his team's celebration.
"That kid knows how to perform under pressure," Dalton-Hinsdale Manager Fred Santora said. "He's amazing. He's got ice water in his veins. He's gonna be a great ballplayer."
Sievers ended the fourth with a strikeout with the bases loaded and the fifth with a called third strike with runners on first and second.
Dalton-Hinsdale catcher Furlong had three hits, including a two-run double in a pivotal five-run fifth inning. He also threw out a runner at second after Pittsfield American put they tying run aboard with one out in the sixth.
"Jack's another one," Santora said. "I've got a whole team full of great kids, but Jack's probably one of the hardest working kids I have on the team. He's amazing.
"They're all amazing."
The Pittsfield Americans, who had an amazing run of their own to the Massachusetts State Championship, jumped on top Thursday with a four-run second inning.
Pittsfield took a 4-0 lead without a base hit, working six walks off Dalton-Hinsdale starter Eli Kristenson.
Kristensen settled down and ended up striking out six, including the last batter he faced, in 3-⅓ innings before handing the ball to Sievers.
Dalton-Hinsdale's offense, meanwhile, responded to Pittsfield's big second inning with a pair of runs in the top of the third.
After Sievers hit a one-out infield single and stole second, Furlong drove him home with a single to left for Dalton-Hinsdale's first run. Furlong ended up scoring on an RBI single from Lucas Lussier to make it 4-2.
Dalton-Hinsdale cut the deficit to one run in the top of the fourth. Matthew Hurley led off with a single and came home on Furlong's RBI single to make it 4-3.
In the bottom of the frame, the Pittsfield Americans scored three times. Jack Wendling got the one-out rally started with a single to left, and the Americans worked three walks off of Sievers on their way to a 7-3 lead.
Dalton struck right back with a five-run fifth keyed by that Furlong two-run double and a double by Lussier as their team went ahead for the first time, 8-7.
But the Pittsfield Americans responded in the bottom of the fifth, getting another one-out single by Wendling and a triple by Aiden Arseneau, who scored when Matthew Keegan reached on an error to make it 9-8, Americans with one inning to play.
Lussier (3-for-4) led off the top of the sixth by dropping a single into left field, but he was erased when Pittsfield catcher Alec Houghtaling threw out his second runner of the game at second base.
Dalton-Hinsdale then got consecutive walks from Kayden Renderer, Hurley, Payton LeClair and Sievers -- the last scoring Renderer to tie the game, 9-9. Hurley hustled home on a pitch that got to the backstop to put Dalton-Hinsdale up, 10-9.
Another ball to the backstop nearly gave the designated visitors a two-run cushion, but Houghtaling retrieved the ball and fired to pitcher Arseneau covering the plate for the inning's third out.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sievers wrapped two strikeouts around the caught stealing by Furlong to end the game.
Afterward, players from both teams were recognized for their accomplishments on the field.
But perhaps more important on this night were the honors handed out to the youngsters who did not make the final.
Great Barrington's Luke Fenig was honored for raising more than $3,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Center, the most by an individual player in the tourney. The leading fund-raising team in the tournament was the Pittsfield Little League National Division All-Stars, which raised more than $10,000 for the cause.
"We had a big talk about how we were going to go out there and play for kids that can't be out here to play," Dalton-Hinsdale's Santora said. "I think it really set in on these guys and really made them push themselves a little harder so they can enjoy the game for other kids who can't. It's a great experience for them all."
Tags: Jimmy Fund, little league, youth baseball,
