Rally in fifth helps Canada edge Bangor Game ends at 1:22 a.m. Monday

BANGOR – Day 1 of the Senior League Baseball World Series didn’t end until the next day.

The Whalley Little League of Surrey, British Columbia, didn’t seem to mind, however, as they outlasted the Bangor Senior All-Stars 7-5 in a first-round Pool A contest.

The game didn’t start until 10:47 p.m. Sunday, largely because the day’s four-game schedule was delayed by nearly two hours due to rain at Mansfield Stadium.

By the time the final game ended, it was 1:22 a.m. Monday.

The Canadian champions took control by capitalizing on four Bangor errors to score six runs in the top of the fifth inning.

Five of those runs off Bangor starter Jim Cox were unearned, but Surrey also managed four hits, three of the infield variety.

Bangor, host team for the 10-team tournament, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Keith Clifford reached second base on an error, moved to third as Ben Estabrook grounded out to the right side of the infield, and scored on Scott Hackett’s sacrifice fly to left.

Surrey tied the game in the second as Chad Stang reached on an infield single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Reyes.

Bangor took a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Gordy Webb doubled and Tyson Barron singled. Kyle Leeman laid down a sacrifice bunt, and Webb scored on the play when Surrey starter John Lambert threw the ball into right field. Neal Russell’s RBI single drove home the second run of the inning.

Surrey sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth to take its first lead, with Ian Watt, Justin Beaudry, Sean Donaldson and Scott Cameron each hitting singles.

Bangor closed within 7-5 in the bottom of the inning. Alex Gallant reached on an infield hit, and back-to-back walks to Barron and Leeman by Surrey reliever Keith McKinnon loaded the bases. Cox plated a run with an infield single, and Kyle Vanidestine drew a walk to force home Bangor’s final run.

Bangor is idle Monday before returning to pool play at 8 p.m. Tuesday against U.S. South champion Dade City, Fla.

Surrey will play Dade City at 5 p.m. Monday.