Ryan Donnelly picked up right where Cole Warner and Ryan Hennessey left off on the mound and Cole Warner blasted a 2-run shot in the second inning as part of East Side’s 10-0 mercy rule victory over Capitol Hill.
Donnelly wasted no time, inducing a weak grounder back to him and striking out the other two batters he faced in the first inning. He then worked a leadoff full count walk for himself to get on base as East Side came to bat. Darren Molineux put one back up the middle so quickly, that Capitol Hill had a chance to get Donnelly at second. However, he slid in ahead of the force play. Dillon DiGiulio stepped in with the bases loaded and nobody out, firing one through a diving shortstop for an RBI hit and 1-0 lead. Hennessey hit into a fielders choice, but Warner and Molineux both scored on the play, showing excellent speed on the basepath.
Donnelly was tested to open the top of the second, as Chase Castor worked an eight-pitch at bat. However, Donnely used the high fastball to earn his third straight punchout.
Colton DiGrazio pushed one to right field to open the second turn at bat for East Side, bringing up Mike Nolan. Nolan walked and gave way to Adam Gazonas, who also walked. The bases were loaded for a second straight inning, and East Side was ready to do some more damage. From the 12-hole, Pat Corliss hit one sharply in the hole at second base, resulting in an out at second, but another run scoring, moving West Chester ahead 4-0. Donnelly also hit traded a run for an out on his grounder to second. Donnelly helped his cause again with an RBI hit on a ball that trickled down the line towards third base and stayed fair.
Henry Smedile came in to pitch for Capitol Hill and faced Cole Warner with Molineux on second base. Warner got a belt-high fastball on a 2-1 pitch and drove it off a tent in front of the scoreboard in right-center for the 2-run bomb and an 8-0 East Side lead. The home run marked Warner’s fourth of the postseason and team’s 16th in 16 games.
The defense flashed some leather in the third inning, as Henry Congdon lined one hard but squarely to Molineux at second who fired over to DiGiulio to complete a double play and proect the 8-0 lead.
Mike Nolan led off the fourth inning with a hard-hit ball off the fence in left-center. He was tagged in the face at second base, but beat the play for a double. Adam Gazonas put one back up the middle and a throwing error allowed him to move on to second, putting the winning run in scoring position. Pat Corliss then went up the middle for his second RBI of the day, continuing to show the top-notch construction of a lineup by manager Bob Hennessey that can hit from top to bottom. On a wild pitch to Molineux, Gazonas got on his horse and slid in safe at home to end the game 10-0 in the mercy rule.
East Side(15-1) is now one win away from punching their ticket to the Little League World Series and will play Friday at 3:00 on ESPN for a berth in South Williamsport. They will face the winner of Capitol Hill(8-1) and Naamans(7-1). Those two will play in an elimination game Thursday at 3:00.
LSV Sports 
Leave a comment