Baseball: Riverhead all-stars fall, 17-15, in District 36 Championship
UPDATE: The Riverhead Little League all-stars came up just short in their bid for the first District 36 Championship since 2008. The championship game that had been postponed Tuesday in the third inning resumed on Wednesday night in Rocky Point and the North Shore all-stars held on to win, 17-15.
The game was delayed with North Shore leading 16-12. Kai Partridge, the third pitcher of the game for Riverhead, resumed the duties on Wednesday, throwing the final 2 2/3 innings. Partridge hit a home run to cut North Shore’s lead to 16-15. It was his second home run of the game.
North Shore tacked on another run for the final score.
ORIGINAL STORY: The hits flooded the field from both teams at Tuesday night’s Little League District 36 championship game between Riverhead and North Shore. But it was ultimately the rain that flooded the game.
Riverhead, with a 7-0 record in the tournament, is vying for its first district title since 2008. To get there, the 11/12-year-old all-stars will need a comeback effort.
The championship game was delayed in the third inning with North Shore leading 16-12 when a quick-moving storm blew across the area, dumping heavy rain on the field. While the rain passed by about 7:30 p.m. and the field had lights, the field was determined to be unplayable.
The game will resume at 6 p.m. Wednesday back at the North Shore Little League complex in Rocky Point where it left off.
It was a slugfest before the game had to be stopped. The teams traded huge innings as the game swung back and forth. Riverhead led 4-0, then trailed 7-4. The all-stars put together an eight-run third inning to go back ahead 12-7. But again that lead was short-lived as North Shore struck for nine in the bottom of the third, which has yet to conclude.
Riverhead had only given up seven runs total in the previous seven games.
Kai Partridge and Mike Mowdy each hit home runs on Tuesday for Riverhead.
Korey Duff started for Riverhead and was relieved in the third inning by Mowdy.
To get to the finals, Riverhead defeated East Hampton Sunday, 3-0, behind a superb pitching performance by Braden Davis. He struck out 16 and gave up just one hit in the semifinals victory. Davis, Partridge and Scott Kamm each scored runs. Mowdy hit a triple and RBI double. Jack Simon had an RBI double and Ben Grodsky drove in the final run.
The winner between Riverhead and North Shore advances to the Section 4 Little League Championship, the next stop on the road to Williamsport and the Little League World Series.
Top photo caption: Riverhead’s Connor Saville walked twice and scored two runs on Tuesday. The game resumed Wednesday. (Credit: Joe Werkmeister)
