63°
AUBURN, Mass. – The Auburn Senior League All-Stars will be telling their grandkids this story.
The 15- and 16-year-olds from Auburn became the first Massachusetts team to win the Senior League Eastern Regional Tournament on Wednesday in New Jersey, as Auburn earned a trip to its first World Series.
“This is one of the greatest moments these kids have had,” said Manager Dalton Goodrich. “When we got that last out today, the kids were going crazy, rushing out of the dugout and jumping up and down.
“I just have the best group of kids,” Goodrich continued. “I can’t be happier for them.”
Auburn won all five games in the tournament, which was without a Massachusetts winner in its 22 years of play. The hometown team clinched the 10-state tournament, spanning teams from Delaware to Maine, with a thrilling 5-4 win over Upper Moreland, Pa.
“Joshua Boucher [starting pitcher] looked really good for us today,” Goodrich said. “He threw a complete game, only letting up four runs against the best team we’ve faced. It’s a great accomplishment.”
In the third inning, Auburn got an RBI double from Joe Fahey and two-run single from Drew Goodrich to make it 3-1.
Upper Moreland made it 4-3 in the fourth inning, but Auburn battled back, scoring twice in the fifth inning. Goodrich lined a single to center to score Boucher; Tyler Desjardins stopped around third base, but when the ball was bobbled in center, he raced home with the eventual winning run.
Tyler Lamonda then recorded the final two outs of the game. With a runner on second base, Lamonda snared a liner up the middle and Upper Moreland’s player had no chance to get back to the bag. Lamonda leaped in the air several times on his way to turning the double play to send Auburn to its first World Series.
The World Series in Bangor, Maine will include teams from across the country and world. Auburn will play four games in five days, with its first game on Sunday against the Central Regional champion.
Auburn will then face Maine, Latin America and Canada.
“It’ll be tough, but I like our odds,” the manager said. “We have a great group of kids, and I’m confident in them. I’m going to start researching the teams tonight.”
The 13 players also play baseball for Auburn High School. They are Ryan Angelico, Lincoln Bois, Boucher, Desjardins, Fahey, Goodrich, Matt Kapulka, Ryan Kozlowski, Lamonda, Ryan Mulcahy, Matthew Nelson, Kyle Quitadamo and DJ Scavone.
The team’s manager is Dalton Goodrich, and the two coaches are Rich Kapulka and Dan Scavone.
Come back to The Daily Voice to find out how Auburn does in the World Series.
Comments