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STAMFORD, Conn. A few early mistakes proved costly to the Stamford National Lione Little League team on Friday night.
Lione was unable to put together any runs in the first three innings of Fridays District 1 championship game against Wilton Little League and the fourth inning proved to be too much.
A 6-run outburst in the fourth inning provided the needed cushion for Wilton as they eventually cruised to an 11-3 victory. Wilton pitcher Billy Black went all the way, letting up just three runs over six innings. He also provided two hits, including a 2-run home run in the midst of the big inning.
Lione Head Coach Lee Isenstein said Wilton capitalized on some mistakes from starting pitcher Chaz Powell. Wilton scored two in the first on a 2-run homer from Dillon Lifrieri. Maybe if we get out of the first at 0-0 and could have got a little momentum, that could have changed things a bit, Isenstein said. But give (Wilton) a lot of credit. Theyre a fantastic team. They hit our mistakes and Billy (Black) was fantastic. We couldnt figure him out.
Though down nine, National Lione struck back for three runs over the next two innings, courtesy of an RBI single for Aaron Isenstein in the fourth and a 2-run single for James Sassi in the fifth. But that was all they could muster. Wilton added two more in the final stanza and Lione could only manage a base hit in the sixth before the game ended on a double play.
I think he (Chaz) got a little tired at the end. But overall, I thought he pitched well and they hit the mistakes, Lee Isenstein said.
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