Florida rolls to victory

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BANGOR – Timely hitting and effective pitching once again paved the way for the Senior Leaguers from Boynton Beach, Fla.

The U.S. South representatives rode a solid pitching performance from Ryan Pistey and clutch hits up and down the lineup to a 6-2 Pool A victory over Makati City, Philippines, at Mansfield Stadium Tuesday night.

The game was called after 51/2 innings due to rain. It started two hours late after heavy rains came through following the prior contest between Bryan, Texas, and Willemstad, Curacao.

Tuesday’s late game between Pearl City, Hawaii, and Whalley, British Columbia, was postponed to Thursday.

An opportunistic Boynton Beach team gave its starting pitcher a lead before he took the mound for the second time in as many nights, parlaying two hits and a throwing error into a 1-0 lead.

Pistey was efficient on the mound, scattering two runs – one earned – on four hits while striking out four and walking one.

“I felt like my changeup was working and my curveball was breaking,” said Pistey.

The feisty Philippine squad came back to tie it in the second, thanks to Yusuke Kuroda’s leadoff double and a throwing error.

Inigo Olivares reached on an infield error after Kuroda’s double, and after back-to-back strikeouts, Seba Martinez-Miranda struck out on a pitch in the dirt, but Florida catcher Alex Bonilla’s throw to first was wild, allowing Kuroda to score.

“I caught the ball and the umpire didn’t think I caught it, so I wasn’t ready to throw to first, and [Martinez-Miranda] was almost there and I just threw it,” said Bonilla, whose throw hit Martinez-Miranda in the back.

“I made a mistake,” added Bonilla.

Bonilla atoned for his error in the top half of the third, walking to load the bases after Anthony Mazzaconi had singled and Dylan Massey was hit with a pitch.

Willie Bonilla (no relation to Alex) gave Boynton Beach the lead for good with a sacrifice bunt, scoring Mazzaconi, and Michael Kelly plated Massey and Alex Bonilla with a double to the right-center field gap.

“We just think if you walk our team, [which] they did, they put a couple guys on with base on balls, if you put us on base with a walk, you’re going to pay. That’s how we get our runs,” Boynton Beach coach Jeff Durgan said.

Bonilla added, “We always hit the ball in every game. We just came out here in the World Series hitting the ball.”

Olivares’ RBI single in the bottom of the inning cut the deficit in half, but they couldn’t muster any serious threats against the righthanded Pistey.

“He pitched pretty much like he has in the past. He locates the ball real well,” Durgan said. “When he’s locating the ball and not walking anybody, he’s doing a good job.”

Willie Bonilla plated a run with a sac fly in the fifth for Boynton Beach. Alex Bonilla finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored on the night.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

990-8193

U.S. SOUTH 6, ASIA-PACIFIC 2

Boynton Beach, Fla. (2-0) Makati, Philippines (0-3)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Massey, ss 2 2 1 0 Bernardo, c 3 0 0

A. Bonilla, c 2 2 2 0 Mitra, 3b 3 0

Cole, pr 0 1 0 0 Ong, ss 2 0 0 0

W. Bonilla, 1b 1 0 1 2 Laurel, p 3 0

Kelly, lf 3 0 1 2 Kuroda, cf 3 1 0

Worall, 3b 3 0 0 0 Olivares, rf 2 0 1

Durgan, rf 2 0 0 0 Disini, pr 0 0 0

Saldovar, ph 1 0 0 0 Tan, 1b 2 0 0 0

Pistey, p 2 0 0 0 Lomotan, lf 2 0 0

Overton, ph 1 0 0 0 Disini, lf 0 0 0

Feland, cf 2 0 0 0 Mrtnz-Miranda, 2b 1 0

Andrews, ph 1 0 0 0

Mazzacori, 2b 2 1 1 0

Totals 22 6 6 4 Totals 21 2 4 1

U.S. South 103 020 – 6

Asia-Pacific 011 00x – 2

Game was called after 51/2 innings due to rain

E-Massey, A. Bonilla; Laurel, Ong, Martinez-Miranda, Mitra; LOB-U.S. South 2, Asia-Pacific 6; 2B-Kelly; Kuroda; DP-Asia-Pacific 1; S-W. Bonilla; SF-W. Bonilla

U.S. South IP H R ER BB SO

Pistey (W, 1-0) 6 4 2 1 1 4

Asia-Pacific IP H R ER BB SO

Laurel (L, 0-1) 5 6 6 5 1 4

HBP-Massey (by Laurel); WP-Pistey; PB-A. Bonilla; T-1:38; ATT-300