Asia-Pacific rallies for 6 runs in 6th, edges Bangor Tourney host plays final game vs. U.S. West tonight

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BANGOR – Bangor’s entry in the Senior League World Series has been victimized by big innings and Wednesday night was no different.

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands overcame 5-0 and 7-4 deficits to stun Bangor 10-8 behind a six-run sixth-inning rally.

In a battle of 0-2 teams, the Asia-Pacific champs scored all of its sixth-inning runs with two outs.

And reliever Antoine Allen threw two innings of one-hit, shutout relief to preserve the win.

Trailing 6-4 entering the sixth, Zack Concepcion drew a leadoff walk off Bangor’s Kyle Leeman and Jeff Saures poked a single into left.

Two outs later, Shane Mendiola punched a run-scoring single to right and Oliver Secharmidal tied it with a line-drive single to left center.

Ben Taisakan walked to force in the go-ahead run and a wild pitch made it 8-6 before winning pitcher Franco Flores ripped a two-run single to center to cap the rally.

“He threw me a fastball. I was waiting for my pitch and I got it,” said Flores.

“It was just a meltdown again. It’s been that way for three games, just that one [bad] inning,” said Bangor third baseman-first baseman Scott Hackett.

Bangor has now allowed three or more runs in an inning five times.

Bangor manager Barrett Dionne said he wanted to relieve Leeman in the sixth “but nobody was ready because of the substitution rule.”

Everybody must play the field for three outs and get one at-bat.

Flores said they felt they could rally from the 5-0 deficit.

“We had our buddies from the West behind us,” grinned Flores referring to the players from Oxnard, Calif., who cheered loudly for their hotel floor mates.

The U.S. West champs knew that a win by the Asia-Pacific champs would all but assure them a berth in the semifinals.

Bangor mounted a rally of its own in the bottom of the sixth as Ben Silver reached on an outfield error, Gordy Webb grounded a single to left and Alex Gallant flared a run-scoring single to right.

Allen came on to replace Flores and struck out the first hitter he faced before hitting Hackett.

Leeman’s sacrifice fly made it 10-8 but Allen induced an inning-ending groundout.

The Asia-Pacific champs turned a 5-4-3 double play in the seventh.

“I just wanted to get the batters out. I knew we had good defense,” said Allen.

Alex Gallant’s RBI single, and Tyson Barron’s two-run single keyed a five-run first inning for Bangor.

Asia-Pacific scored four second-inning runs, three being unearned.

Tom Guerrero singled in one run and a second run scored when first baseman Gallant dropped catcher Webb’s throw on a potential inning-ending strikeout.

Tony Palacios followed with a two-run double to center.

Ryan Jones’ RBI single made it 6-4 in the fifth.

Mendiola, Flores and Guerrero had two hits each for CNMI while Gallant, Barron and Hackett had two each for Bangor.

Bangor plays its final game of the tournament tonight at 8 against Oxnard, Calif.

ASIA PACIFIC 10, BANGOR 8

Asia Pacific (1-2) Bangor (0-3)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Omar, cf 4 1 0 0 Clifford, cf 2 0 0

Palacios, lf 2 0 1 2 Russell, cf 0 0 0

Mendiola, lf 2 1 2 1 Estabrook, ss 5 0 0

Secharmidal, c-3b 3 1 1 1 B. Silver, rf 3 0

Allen, ss-p 4 1 1 0 Crews, rf 1 1 0

Taisakan, 1b 1 2 0 1 Webb, c 4 2 1 0

Flores, p-2b 4 1 2 2 Gallant, 1b 3 1 2

Ada, 3b-c 2 0 0 0 Cox, 1b-p 0 1 0

Concepcion, c 0 1 0 0 Barron, lf 3 2

Saures, 2b-ss 4 1 1 0 J. Silver, lf 1 0

Guerrero, rf 3 1 2 1 Hackett, 3b-1b 3 1 0

Tenorio, rf 1 0 0 0 Leeman, p-3b 2 0 1

Jones, 2b 3 0 1 1

Vanidestine, 2b 1 0 0 0

Totals 30 10 10 8 Totals 31 8 11 6

Asia Pacific 040 006 0 ? 10

Bangor 500 012 0 ? 8

E? Secharmidal, Guerrero, Tenorio, Gallant, Barron, Jones; LOB? Asia Pacific 9, Bangor 11; 2B? Palacios; DP? Asia Pacific 1; S? Palacios, Secharmidal; SF? Leeman; SB? Hackett, Leeman

Asia Pacific IP H R ER BB SO

Flores (W, 1-0) 5 10 8 4 3 3

Allen (S, 1) 2 1 0 0 0 2

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Leeman (L, 0-1) 6 9 10 7 6 8

Cox 1 1 0 0 1 0

HBP? B. Silver by Flores, Webb by Flores, Clifford by Flores, Hackett by Allen, Clifford by Allen; Concepcion by Leeman; WP? Flores, Leeman 4; T? 2:31; ATT? 1,500