Gardner brothers spark comeback, Dirigo crowned HNLL Majors Champion

Noah Gardner of Dirigo doubles to drive in two runs in the second inning. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Thursday night in Hampden, No. 2 ranked Dirigo Slipform over came a four run deficit in the second inning sending 19 batters to the plate and scoring 14 runs on their way to a 26-7 victory over No. 5 ranked Kiwanis to claim the 2008 Hampden-Newburgh Little League Majors Championship. Tristan and Noah Gardner combined for five RBIs in the second inning, and Kyle Clifford was a perfect 5-5 in the game.

James Gilmore of Kiwanis swings for a double in the first inning.
(Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Kiwanis took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first highlighted by a James Gilmore RBI double. After Dirigo added one run in the bottom half of the inning, Kiwanis came back with three more runs in the top of the second for a 5-1 lead. Gilmore again had the big hit with a 2-run double in the inning.

Robert Stowe of Kiwanis puts the ball in play and doubles during the second inning. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Jackson Gilmore sparked the Dirigo bats leading off the bottom half of the second with a double. 18 batters and 13 hits later Dirigo had taken a 15-5 lead and never looked back. Highlighting the inning was a Brandon Maillet 2-run home run, a bases clearing 3-run double by Tristan Gardner, a 2-run double by Noah Gardner, and a 2-run double by Keegan Quigley.

Brandon Maillet of Dirigo is all smiles after hitting a 2-run home run.
(Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Dirigo would continue to hit the ball well with big hits throughout the remainder of the game such as a home run by Tristan Gardner in the fifth inning, a Quigley 2-run double in the fourth inning, and a Clifford RBI double in the third and RBI single in the fourth.

Tristan Gardner of Dirigo plants both feet on home plate after hitting a home run in the fifth inning. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Providing the offense for Dirigo was Tristan Gardner (home run, double, two singles, four RBIs), Clifford (two doubles, three singles, two RBIs), Quigley (two doubles, two singles, four RBIs), Maillet (home run, two singles, three RBIs), Noah Gardner (double, two RBIs), Sam Jordan (two singles, two RBIs), Dakota Sudbeck (double, single, RBI), Ben Disalvatore (double), and Drew Gilmore (single).

Keegan Quigley of Dirigo was the winning pitcher in the game with four strikeouts over three innings. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

Quigley was the winning pitcher working three innings and allowing four hits while walking three and striking out four. Sam Jordan closed the game with three innings of work allowing five hits and striking out three. He did not walk a batter.

Hitting for Kiwanis was Gilmore (three doubles, single, three RBIs), Robert Stowe (double, single), Kurt Townsend (double), and Richie Rawcliffe (single).

Congratulations to all the Dirigo players on a great season and an outstanding performance in the biggest game of the year.

Dirigo Slipform, the 2008 Hampden-Newburgh Little League Majors Champions. (Photo by Skip Hawkes)

The Kiwanis players should be congratulated on an outstanding playoff performance coming out of the 5th seed. They proved you do not have to be the best in the league to be in the championship game, and should be very proud of their performance at the end of the season.

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