Great Barrington Pulls Away Late for 12-Year-Old Little League Tourney Win
DALTON, Mass. – Great Barrington’s 12U All-Stars broke open a tightly contested game with a dominant fourth inning, scoring eight runs to pull away for a mercy-rule victory over Lanesborough in District 1 tournament action.
For three innings, both teams leaned on outstanding pitching as runs were difficult to come by.
Great Barrington’s Tyler Warren set the tone immediately on the mound, striking out Noah Higgins and Alton Kryskow before inducing a groundout from Allan Salguero to retire the side in order during the opening inning. Lanesborough answered with a strong first inning of its own as Rowan Higgins worked around the top of Great Barrington’s lineup with a groundout and a pair of strikeouts.
Warren continued to dominate in the second, striking out Shaurya Patel and Liam Flaherty while escaping a two-out baserunner after William Truskowski reached on a dropped third strike. Axiel Colon was retired on another strikeout to end the frame.
Great Barrington broke through first in the bottom of the second. Harlan Kohler reached on an infield single before aggressively stealing both second and third base. After a pop out, Ezekiel McLaughlin followed with an infield RBI single to give Great Barrington a 1-0 lead.
The pitchers remained in command through the third inning. Warren struck out Jackson Inman and Ema Salguero around a groundout, while Lanesborough brought Allan Salguero to the mound, where he recorded strikeouts of Julian Winters and Owen Saunders. Weston Tremont reached after being hit by a pitch, but the inning ended on a groundout.
Lanesborough grabbed the lead in the top of the fourth. Noah Higgins opened with a single before Great Barrington turned an impressive 4-6-3 double play. After Allan Salguero was hit by a pitch, Shaurya Patel delivered the game’s biggest swing to that point, launching a two-run home run to put Lanesborough ahead 2-1. Warren bounced back by recording another strikeout to end the inning.
Great Barrington answered emphatically in the bottom half.
Ivey Weller reached on an infield ball and advanced all the way to third on an errant throw before scoring on a passed ball to tie the game. Satchel Fisher and Kohler followed with singles, and Hunter Havens drew a walk to load the bases.
The rally only grew from there. McLaughlin was hit by a pitch to force home the go-ahead run before Mason Blackwell worked a bases-loaded walk after Truskowski entered in relief. Julian Winters and Owen Saunders each followed with bases-loaded walks, and Weston Tremont added another to continue the parade around the bases. Sam Sturgis then drew a walk after a runner stole home, and Weller was hit by a pitch to plate yet another run.
With the bases still full, Warren delivered the knockout blow, ripping a bases-clearing triple into the outfield to cap the explosive inning and push Great Barrington comfortably ahead.
The game was called under the mercy rule following the decisive rally.
Great Barrington combined dominant pitching with patient at-bats and aggressive baserunning throughout the afternoon. Warren piled up strikeouts over four strong innings before helping his own cause with the game-sealing triple, while McLaughlin drove in the club’s first two runs. Kohler sparked the offense early with his speed on the bases, and the lineup’s discipline during the fourth inning turned a one-run deficit into a convincing tournament victory.
Standings: t-1. Adams-Cheshire, Pittsfield, 1-0; 3. Great Barrington, 1-1; 5. Dalton-Hinsdale, Lanesborough, 0-1.
