BANGOR – Before taking on Europe-Middle East-Africa representative Vilinius, Lithuania, in a Senior League World Series Pool B tilt, Niles, Mich., manager Bill Coar stressed the need for more offensive production.

The U.S. Central representatives responded in a big way, pounding out 15 hits en route to a 12-2, five-inning victory at Mansfield Stadium Tuesday morning, its first win of the tourney.

“We’ve been in a slump lately, and its nice to get it going,” said catcher Corey Johnson, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a two-run single to spark a decisive four-run third inning.

This game was an elimination game of sorts, as both teams came into Tuesday’s action 0-2.

Lithuania, which fell to 0-3 and out of semifinal contention, put some pressure on the 15- and 16-year-olds from the Greater Niles Baseball Little League early, generating two first-inning runs on an RBI double by Domas Jacevicius and an RBI single by Edvardas Matusevicius.

Niles (1-2) came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Johnson got things started with a one-out single, moved to second on Dan Reidenbach’s grounder to first and scored on cleanup man Kevin Gross’ RBI double.

Dominique Pompey and Taylor Ort followed with RBI singles, and RBI doubles by Reidenbach and Johnson gave Niles a 4-2 advantage.

“I told them this morning, show them how much we want to play,” Coar said. “We had quite a bit more enthusiasm.”

Niles was getting it done up and down the batting order on this day. Nine different players had at least a hit while eight drove in at least one run.

“We’re a good hitting lineup, if one guy is not hitting, we have eight other guys who will pick him up,” said Johnson, who also scored two runs.

Johnson noticed a difference in his plate approach from the first two games.

“I was a little more relaxed, and was trying to drive the ball up the middle,” he said.

Starting pitcher Jesse McCombs left after two innings of work due to a sore elbow, and Tyler Kinsley pitched three shutout innings of relief to get the win.

Kinsley allowed just one hit while walking only one and striking out three, keeping Lithuania’s hitters off-balance with outside fastballs and tough breaking pitches which generated lazy fly balls.

Niles forced the 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth with nobody out, as Andrew Brawley singled in Gross to wrap it up.

The offensive boost may be just what Niles needs to try and even their Pool B record in a showdown with Tyler, Texas, Thursday evening.

“They feel much better about themselves today,” Coar said.

Will Coar singled in two runs in the fourth while Brawley went 3-for-3 and scored two runs.

Lukas Bradauskas, Elvinas Kalanta and Valentinas Krukis all singled for Lithuania.

U.S. CENTRAL 12, LITHUANIA 2

(Pool B, Tuesday)

Lithuania U.S. Central

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Vbiks, 2b 3 0 0 0 McCmbs, p 2 1 0

Jsnks, 1b-p 2 1 0 0 Kinsely, p 2 1 0

B’sks, 1b-p 2 0 1 0 Johnson, c 4 2 3

Jcevics, c 3 1 1 1 Ridnbach, lf 3 0 1

Mtsevics, lf 2 0 1 1 Pmpy, 1b-cf 2 1 1

Nks, 3b-1b-ss 0 0 0 Udell, 1b 1 0 0

Krukis, rf 2 0 1 0 Ort, ss 2 0 2 1

Dkvks, ss-p 2 0 0 0 Glddn, pr-cf 0 0 0

Kalanta, cf 1 0 1 0 Stroud, ss 1 1 0

Agstins, cf 1 0 0 0 Brawley, 2b 3 1 1

Coar, cf-1b 2 1 1 2

Jackson, lf 2 2 2 1

Briand, lf 1 0 0 0

Totals 20 2 5 2 29 12 15 11

Lithuania 200 00 – 2

U.S. Central 324 21 – 12

E-Kalanta, Krukis; LOB-Lithuania 5, U.S. Central 9; 2B-Jacevicius; Johnson, Reidenbach, Gross, Jackson; SB-Matusevicius 2; Johnson 2, Reidenbach, McCombs; CS-Ort

No out when winning run scored

LIthuania IP H R ER BB SO

Jasinskas (L) 1 1/3 8 5 5 0 0

Bradauskas 1 3 4 2 3 1

Dankovskis 2 4 3 2 1 2

U.S. Central

McCombs 2 4 2 2 1 3

Knisely (W) 3 1 0 0 1 3

HBP-Gladden (by Dankovskis); WP-Jasionskas; McCombs 2