BANGOR – The Bryan National West Senior League team from Texas had its destiny in its own hands.

A win would have sent the Texans into the Senior League World Series semifinals at Mansfield Stadium.

A loss would send Willemstad, Curacao, to the semis based on fewest runs allowed per innings.

But the left arm of the New Philadelphia, Ohio’s Matt Wheeler decided matters as he tossed a masterpiece, allowing just three hits to pitch the U.S. Central champs to a 6-1 triumph over the U.S. Southwest titlists.

Curacao, Bryan National West and New Philadelphia, Ohio all finished 2-2 in Pool B play behind 4-0 U.S. East winner Upper Deerfield, N.J.

Curacao and East Boynton Beach, Fla. (4-0) meet in an 11:30 a.m. semifinal today with Upper Deerfield, N.J., and the 3-1 Whalley Little League of Surrey, British Columbia, squaring off at 2:30 p.m.

Wheeler struck out five and walked two while throwing 52 strikes among his 69 pitches.

“His curve was pretty good and his changeup was wicked,” said Bryan third baseman David Williams Jr.. “He kept the ball low in the strike zone all the time. He never hung one. He never threw one right across the plate. He was a good pitcher.”

Williams also pointed out that Wheeler was the first left-handed starter they have faced all season.

“We weren’t used to it,” said hard-luck losing pitcher David Contreras, who allowed just one earned run through six innings (six strikeouts, two walks) before the Bryan defense fell apart in the seventh, allowing five unearned runs.

“I’m not an overpowering pitcher so I have to hit my spots,” said Wheeler. “This was one of my better games. I hit my spots real well today. I threw my curve well and my fastball was a lot faster than normal.”

The stylish Wheeler allowed just three baserunners through the first six innings.

“He was fantastic,” said Ohio catcher Andy Allensworth. “I couldn’t ask for anything better. His curve had good bite.”

Allensworth provided Wheeler with a lead he would never relinquish in the fifth inning.

Allensworth belted righty Contreras’ first pitch into the right-center field gap for a triple and scored on a throwing error on the relay to third.

“He threw hard but I’m a fastball hitter. I didn’t want to go deep in the count so I tried to jump the first pitch he threw for a strike. That’s what I’ve done all year. I took the ball the other way,” said Allensworth.

“He reached out for it. It was a good hit,” said Contreras.

Bryan had a runner on third with one out in the first but Wheeler struck out Arthur Garza and Mike Martinez.

Miguel Perez singled to open the sixth and went to second on a balk.

But a perfectly executed pick-off play nailed Perez in a rundown.

“The first baseman and third baseman yell ‘bunt’ and charge. They sell the bunt,” explained Wheeler who added that the shortstop runs to cover third and the second baseman sneaks in behind the runner.

“That changed the entire momentum of the game,” said Bryan manager Richard Martinez.

Ohio broke the game open in the seventh as a pair of throwing errors put runners on second and third to start the inning. A balk produced the first run and, following a walk, a wild pitch by reliever Gilbert Vasquez allowed the second run to score.

Alex Knecht and Adam Mizer had run-scoring singles and a wild pitch produced another run.

Bryan finally scored in the bottom of the seventh when Garza walloped a long, leadoff double to left, went to third on a fly ball and scored on a wild pitch.

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

990-8231

U.S. CENTRAL 6, U.S. SOUTHWEST 1

New Phil., Ohio (2-2) Bryan, Texas (2-2)

Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI

Knecht, cf 4 1 3 1 Byer, ss 2 0 0

Mizer, rf 4 0 1 1 Galvan, rf 2 0 0

Gray, 2b 4 0 2 0 Garza, cf 3 1 1

Wheeler, p 3 0 0 0 Martinez, 1b 3 0 0

Allensworth, c 4 2 1 0 Williams, 3b-p 2 0

Cozart, ss 2 1 0 0 Sutherland, lf 3 0 0

Iacobucci, 1b 2 0 0 0 Contreras, p-3b 2 0

Ripley, 3b 3 0 0 0 Spivey, pr 0 0 0

Burcher, lf 1 0 0 0 Longoria, 2b 2 0 0

Sokowoski, pr-ph 1 1 0 0 Perez, c 2 0

Porter, ph 0 1 0 0 Vasquez, p 0 0 0

Totals 28 6 7 2 Totals 21 1 3 0

U.S. Central 000 010 5 – 6

U.S. Southwest 000 000 1 – 1

E-Byer 2, Perez; LOB-U.S. Central 5, U.S. Southwest 2; 2B-Garza; 3B-Allensworth; S-Cozart; SB-Galvan

U.S. Central IP H R ER BB SO

Wheeler (W) 7 3 1 1 2 5

U.S. Southwest IP H R ER BB SO

Contreras (L) 6 4 4 1 2 6

Vasquez 1 3 2 0 1 1

WP-Wheeler, Vasquez (2), Contreras; BK-Wheeler (2), Contreras; T-1:50; ATT-700