BANGOR – The day after Bangor East/West Little League played error-free defense and went on to win the opening game of the Senior League World Series on Sunday, manager Ron St. Pierre was worried about how the team would respond against Asia Pacific.

Turns out, St. Pierre was right to be a bit concerned that the host team would press for its second win in pool play.

Bangor committed four errors in the second inning Monday evening and couldn’t complete a seventh-inning rally as Illam Central Little League of Makati City, Philippines, beat the Maine District 3 representative 3-2 in a Pool A game at Mansfield Stadium.

“You’re always afraid that’s what’s going to happen,” St. Pierre said. “I didn’t have a real good feeling before the game. It’s always difficult to bring kids back down the earth. They’re going for their second win.”

Both Bangor and the Philippines are now 1-1 in pool play.

Bangor made five errors overall, which surprised Philippines manager Luis Carlos Laurel.

“The Bangor team is a good team, and I don’t know what it was,” he said. “But they were able to keep it close, so it’s a good baseball team.”

The host team did give its fans a late charge as Bangor tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh.

Tyler Brookings hit a leadoff single and advanced on Mack Susi’s second bunt of the game.

After a strikeout, Christian Dionne came back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk. Christian Larochelle was also facing an 0-2 count when he smacked a groundball almost through the infield.

Philippines shortstop Yuji Horibata bobbled Larochelle’s ball but righted himself and threw to second for the game-ending forceout.

“We were just hoping that [Larochelle] would get the ball through somewhere,” St. Pierre said. “He hit it so hard that when [Horibata] bobbled it there was time to make the play.”

Bangor managed just three hits.

Ryan Larochelle, who doubled in the second, recorded a one-out single in the fourth as Bangor mounted a comeback. He then stole second and moved up on a wild pitch. Brookings walked, allowing St. Pierre to use some strategy.

Susi bunted to execute a suicide squeeze, plating Larochelle. Susi reached first safely as Philippines pitcher Paolo Mallari fielded the ball, missed the tag at home, and threw to third to try to get Brookings. His throw went into left field, allowing Brookings to score and Susi to move to third.

“The first one I fouled off and I couldn’t get it down. The second one, with two strikes, I wanted to get it down and get the runner,” Susi said. “… That got us really going. We thought we would come back all the way.”

Riley Masters then grounded out. Susi tried for home on the play but stumbled, and the Philippines catcher tagged him out for an inning-ending double play.

Relying mostly on his fastball, Mallari walked four and struck out five.

“They knew he wasn’t hard to hit, so they go up there and overswing,” St. Pierre said. “We’re not a bad-hitting team, but we didn’t show it today.”

Masters allowing seven hits while walking three and striking out five. He allowed just one earned run.

ASIA PACIFIC 3, MAINE DISTRICT 3 2

Philippines (1-1) Bangor (1-1)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Conception, 2b 2 0 1 0 Gray, rf 1 0

Brias, 3b 1 0 0 0 Duff, rf 1 0 0

Mallari, p 3 1 0 0 Clarke, 2b-3b 3 0 0

Laurel, ss 3 0 0 0 Gallant, ss 3 0 0

Horibata, ss 1 0 0 0 R. Larochelle, cf 3 0

Bernardo, c 3 0 1 0 Brookings, 3b-c 2 1 0

Fernandez, c 1 0 0 0 McDade, c 1 0 0

Jimenez, lf 3 0 1 1 Susi, 2b 0 0 1

Gabay, 3b-2b 4 1 1 0 Masters, p 2 0 0

De Mesa, 1b 3 1 0 0 Cox, ph 1 0 0 0

Uichico, rf 1 0 1 1 Dionne, lf 2 0 0

Esguerra, rf 2 0 0 0 C. Larochelle, 1b 2 0

Jalaneoni, cf 3 0 2 0

Totals 30 3 7 2 Totals 21 2 3 1

Philippines 021 000 0 – 3

Bangor 000 200 0 – 2

E-Mallari; Clarke 2, Brookings 2, Gallant; LOB-Asia-Pacific 9, Maine District 3 4; 2B-R. Larochelle; DP-Laurel-De Mesa-Bernardo-Brias-Mallari; Gallant-C. Larochelle-McDade; S-Susi 2; SB-Mallari 2; R. Larochelle

Philippines IP H R ER BB SO

Mallari (W, 1-0) 7 3 2 1 4 5

Bangor IP H R ER BB SO

Masters (L, 0-1) 7 7 3 1 3 5

WP-Mallari; T-2:05; ATT-850