SCRANTON — Abington National scored all of its runs in the bottom of the third inning and held off a late charge to defeat Abington American, 4-3, in a District 17 Little League baseball pool-play game June 29.
National’s Declan Walsh lined a two-run single off the wall in left-center field, scoring Zach Brister and Ryan Nealon, who both singled. National added two more runs when Thomas LaCoe drew a bases-loaded walk and Mark Nazar delivered an RBI single.
American’s Luke Leventhal entered the game in relief of Connor Griffin, with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the third, and recorded a strikeout to prevent further damage.
American scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning. Luke Swank and Samuel Specht singled, and Leventhal walked to load the bases. Lincoln Anderson drove in a run with a single and Brian Heard was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
National’s starting pitcher Ryan Nealon, who earned the win, induced pop outs from the next to batters to limit the damage.
American added another run in the top of the sixth when Anderson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but Nazar, who entered the game in relief of Nealon, got a pop out to end the game.
Nealon led National with three hits. Abel, Gavin Walsh and Nazar each had two.
Anderson led American with three hits. Swank and Specht each had two.
Abington National and North Pocono advanced out of the pool-play round and will face off in a best-of-3 series for the District 17 championship. The first game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. July 5 at Abington Little League and the second game is set for 1 p.m. July 7 at North Pocono. A third game, if necessary, will be played July 9 at a site and time to be determined.