Norway Boys Hold On For 2-1 Win Over Gladstone

Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos, and to hear post-game comments from Norway's Jaxon Walker and Eli Rosatti.

QUINNESEC---The Norway Major Little League All-Stars (age 11-12) won their first district tournament game on Saturday, beating the Gladstone All-Stars, 2-1, in Quinnesec.

Jaxon Walker's RBI single in the first inning put Norway in front, and Zayden Rochon threw 4 1/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits.

Eli Rosatti threw a shaky sixth inning to earn the save, and earlier in the game, while playing catcher, Rosatti threw out Gladstone's Mason Holochwost, who was trying to steal second base.

And later, with Gladstone runners on second and third, Trent Beauchamp tried to steal home. Norway catcher Jack Bourdage put on the tag to end the inning. It was those little thngs that helped Norway win their opener and advance to the second round against Kingsford.

Norway's second run came in the third inning when Rochon hit a bouncer between the mound and first base with the bases loaded. Gladstone had no play, and a key run scored.

In the bottom of the third inning, Landon Amis was safe on an error, and Scout Rosinski put down a perfect bunt to put two men on base. With the tying runs on base, however, Rochon got a huge strikeout when he fanned Logan DeMay, keeping it a 2-0 game after three.

It all came down to a tight bottom of the sixth inning. Amis out down another perfect bunt up the third base line to start the inning, and then Colton Hughes hit a chopper that bounced on the Norway second baseman, putting two men on with nobody out.

That brought up No. 12 batter Jackson Goodman (all kids on the roster bat under the new "roster batting" rule). Gladstone elected not to attempt a bunt to move the runners ahead, instead, Goodman struck out swinging for the first out of the inning.

Rosinski followed with a fly ball to right field, and the runners tagged up. Amis came in all the way from second base, sliding in safely with Gladstone's first run, and Hughes advanced to third base. With DeMay at the plate, the second pitch was wild to the backstop, but Hughes stayed at third base. DeMay worked the count to 3-2, but took a called third strike over the outside corner, ending the game, and sending Gladstone into the loser's bracket.

Norway had just four hits in the game, and the only one to leave the infield was the one that plated a run in the first inning by Walker. DeMay threw the maximum 85 pitches for Gladstone, with seven strikeouts and four walks in 3 2/3 innings. He takes the loss.

Holochwost threw 20 pitches and Jaxon Quigley threw 18 in relief. Both are available for further tournament games without any rest days needed.

Rochon threw 52 pitches in earning the Norway win.

Gladstone will be back on the field Sunday to take on Escanaba in am elimination game. It will start at 3:00 CT at the Quinnesec Field. Norway takes on Kingsford in the winner's bracket Monday night at 5:30 CT, also in Quinnesec.