The Auburn Little League 10- and 11-year-old All-Stars are headed to the Bronx. Auburn overcame a 4-1 deficit to topple Mel Ott, of Buffalo, 9-6 in the New York Sectional championship game Tuesday in Elmira.
The All-Stars will compete Saturday in the state final four in the Bronx.
Trailing by three runs in the fourth, Kevin DiCola and Brandon Delf delivered back-to-back RBI singles to edge closer, 4-3.
After Charles shut down Mel Ott in the bottom of the fourth, he led off the fifth with a deep double off the right-field wall and scored on a Tommy Herbert double. Justin Valentino's RBI single gave Auburn the lead for good.
The All-Stars added three more insurance runs in the sixth on RBI singles from Hunter Charles and Noah Christiantelli.
Mike Charles earned the win while Hunter Charles pitched the game's final two innings.
“Our pitchers were gutsy,” Auburn coach Mike Charles said. “They just battled and battled.”
Christiantelli had an RBI single in the second inning to give Auburn an early lead but Mel Ott followed with a run in the bottom of the inning and three more in the third.
Auburn 9
Mel Ott 6
Trailing by three runs in the fourth, Kevin DiCola and Brandon Delf delivered back-to-back RBI singles to edge closer, 4-3.
After Charles shut down Mel Ott in the bottom of the fourth, he led off the fifth with a deep double off the right-field wall and scored on a Tommy Herbert double. Justin Valentino's RBI single gave Auburn the lead for good.
The All-Stars added three more insurance runs in the sixth on RBI singles from Hunter Charles and Noah Christiantelli.
Mike Charles earned the win while Hunter Charles pitched the game's final two innings.
“Our pitchers were gutsy,” Auburn coach Mike Charles said. “They just battled and battled.”
Christiantelli had an RBI single in the second inning to give Auburn an early lead but Mel Ott followed with a run in the bottom of the inning and three more in the third.
Auburn 9
Mel Ott 6
