Verizon and Kiwanis upset higher seeds, advance to semifinals in Majors playoffs

Forrest Spang of Verizon singles in the third inning on Monday night. Spang helped lead Verizon to a 9-7 upset win over Dysart's in the Hampden-Newburgh Little League playoffs.
(Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Monday night in the Majors playoffs of the Hampden-Newburgh Little League, the lower seeded Verizon (No. 6) and Kiwanis (No. 5) both came away with victory's over higher seeded teams to advance to the semifinal round on Tuesday night.

Cam Scott of Verizon admires his new bat before his first trip to the plate. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Verizon scored three runs in the top of the first inning and never relinquished the lead as they upset No. 3 ranked Dysart's 9-7.

Trailing 9-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Dysart's got singles from Daniel Good, Noah Parker, and Ryan Manning to go with a Joey Doyon double to plate three runs but Verizon pitcher Eric Babbitt closed the game with a strike out to kill the rally and preserve the win.

Leading hitters for Verizon were Forrest Spang (two singles), Cam Scott (two singles), and Ryan Cole (two singles). Michael Ward was the winning pitcher.

Ryan Richards of Dysart's slides into first base to beat out an infield single. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Dysarts top hitters were Good (two singles), Parker (two singles), and Doyon (double, single).

Verizon will face No. 2 Dirigo Slipform on the Minors field at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, June 24 in a semifinal game. The winner will advance to the championship game on Thursday, June 26.

Click Here For Photo Gallery

Kiwanis (No. 5) overcame late inning deficits and battled back for a 15-14 victory over No. 4 HRH to advance to the semifinals on Tuesday night.

Kiwanis trailed 11-5 after the fourth inning, but rallied for four runs in the fifth while holding HRH to one run to close the gap to 12-9. Kiwanis put on the big finish in the sixth with six runs to take a 15-12 lead, and held HRH to two runs in the bottom of the sixth for the come from behind win.

Ben Foster swings for a single late in the game.
(Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Leading Kiwanis at the plate was Colin Vidas (home run, single), James Gilmore (two singles), and Ben Foster (two singles). Robert Stowe was the winning pitcher.

Ben Huston of HRH delivers a pitch. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

HRH was led at the plate by Matt Closson (triple, two singles) and Cameron Scott (two doubles, single).

Kiwanis advances to the semifinal round and takes on No. 1 F. A. Peabody at 5:45 p.m. on the Majors field. The winner advances to the championship game on Thursday, June 26.

Click Here For Photo Gallery