Father & Son team is playing hard to the end
BY SHAWN LAYTON Staff Writer

EDISON - Heading into this week's action at the Senior Legion Northeast Regional Tournament in Vermont, the Father & Son team of Edison American Legion Post 435 was just two wins shy of advancing to the Nationals in Oklahoma.

Some ninth-inning heroics gave Father & Son a 10-9 win over Warwick Post 43 of Rhode Island Sunday evening. The victory created a three-way tie for the top spot as Father & Son, Brandford Post 83 of Connecticut and Brockton Post 35 of Massachusetts all entered the final day of the tournament with three wins and one loss. The team that won each of its two games Monday would head to Okalahoma.

Edison Post 435 cashed in on some defensive miscues courtesy of Warwick Post 43 to have a shot at the regional title.

"It was an unbelievable finish," Father & Son head coach Tim Banos said. "It was like something from the movie 'Angels in the Outfield.' "

Down a run in the eighth inning, Father & Son plated Rob Rubenstein to even the score at 9-9 when the Warwick centerfielder dropped a routine fly ball with two outs.

In the ninth, the team took advantage of another timely error to win the game. Tim Lowe's groundball was fielded cleanly by the Warwick shortstop, but an error from the Warwick first baseman put Lowe at second base. Father & Son's Kevin Ryan stepped up to bunt Lowe over to third but was safe at first on a throwing error. With runners at the corners, Dylan Laguna ended the game with a walk-off single plating Lowe and the winning run.

Nick Reider picked up the win in relief of Julian Laguna. Both pitched over four innings of work.

"I always tell the kids that good teams take advantage of other teams' mistakes," Banos said. "It is something we've done all season."

The team's opening game of the regional tournament against Brockton Post 35 was another example of Father & Son's ability to capitalize on its opponents' mistakes.

After falling behind 3-0 after the first three innings to Brockton, Father & Son put seven runs across in the sixth inning thanks to five errors and a pair of walks in the frame.

The seven runs were more than enough for starting pitcher Gary Thompson. Thompson went all nine innings for the 7-3 victory. He scattered nine hits and allowed just one earned run while fanning five batters. In his last 25-plus innings, he has issued a remarkable zero walks.

"He's been working ahead in counts and commanding all three of his pitches," Banos said. "He's been able to throw his off-speed pitches in any count and that has kept hitters off-balance."

After opening the tournament with the win over Brockton, Father & Son suffered its only defeat to Branford Post 83 in an 11-5 loss. The team immediately bounced back with a 9-7 win over Manchester Post 2 of New Hampshire. Much like it did in its other tournament wins, Father & Son put together a strong inning that proved too much for the opposition. In this one it was a six run seventh thanks to five walks issued by the Manchester staff that proved to be the difference maker. Designated hitter Bryan Elvina went 2-for-2 with a double and Ryan finished the game 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to lead Father & Son.