The championship game, played under the lights, was won on a walk-off.

Submitted by West Hartford Youth Baseball League

The Summer League saved its best for last with a thrilling championship game under the lights.

Notre Dame beat South Carolina 10-9 rallying from a 9-3 deficit in the last two innings for an exciting walk-off win.

South Carolina struck first with two runs in the top of the 1st led by a singles from Jet Trinh and Xaviel Amarat and a fielders choice from Patrick O’Shaughnessy. Notre Dame tied the score 2-2 in the 1st with back-to-back doubles from Bobby Lachance and Matt Gelinas and an RBI single from Nathan Gallo. South Carolina exploded for 5 runs in the 3rd led by back-to-back singles from David Ladieu and Nathan Cukierman, a 2 RBI triple from Harry Nelson, 2 RBI single from Trinh, and RBI single from Patrick O’Shaughnesy for a 7-2 lead.

Notre Dame cut it to 7-3 in the bottom of the 2nd and then was held scoreless in the 3rd and 4th as South Carolina ace Amarat struck out 4 of the 7 batters he faced. South Carolina tacked on two insurance runs in the 5th led by a triple from Angelo Culmo, single from Trinh, and back-to-back singles from Amarat and Jonathan Pedraza for a 9-3 lead.

This set the stage for the dramatic comeback from Notre Dame as they scored five runs in the 5th without recording an out led by a back-to-back walks from Eyan Turner and Trevor Tanis, 2 RBI triple from Lachance, single from Gelinas, 2 RBI single from Gallo, and RBI single from Andrew Paridy to trim the lead to 9-8.

Gelinas pitched a scoreless 6th with 2 K’s to hold the lead at one. In the 6th, Shane Bradley stroked a sharp single to centerfield and Jason Vitelli lined the next pitch to the left field fence with a stand up triple to score Bradley to tie the game. 2 pitches later Vitelli raced home with the winning run on a passed ball and the Notre Dame bench erupted in celebration.

The two teams combined for 24 hits and 19 runs.

South Carolina had a balanced attack as 9 different players had hits and scored in the game. Their offense was led by Trinh (3 for 3, run, 2 RBI’s), Patrick O’Shaughnessy (1 for 3, run), Amarat (2 for 3, run), Pedraza (1 for 3), Tommy Panarella (1 for 3), Ladieu (1 for 3, run), Cukierman (1 for 3, run), Nelson (2 for 2, run, 2 RBI’s, double, triple), Griffin O’Shaugnessy (run), Sam Weiner (run), and Culmo (single, run).

Notre Dame’s offense was led by Lachance (2 for 3, 2 runs, 2 RBI’s, double, triple), Gelinas (3 for 3, 2 runs, double, RBI), Gallo (2 for 3, run, 3 RBI’s), Paridy (1 for 3, RBI), Bradley (1 for 3, run), Vitelli (1 for 2, 2 runs, triple, RBI), Conor Mangini (1 for 2), and Turner (run, BB). Pedrazza, Amarat, and Nelson pitched well for South Carolina. Paridy and Gelinas pitched well for Notre Dame.

The champions Notre Dame team. Front row (from left): Caden Mangini (bat boy), Eyan Turner, Trevor Tanis, Shane Bradley, Jack Archambeault; 2nd row: Jason Vitelli, Andrew Paridy, Matt Gelinas, Nathan Gallo, Bobby Lachance; 3rd Row: Coaches Bob Paridy, Reggie Tanis, Rob Gallo, Ken Mangini. Not pictured: Jack Doyle, Jamie Kennedy, Tobey Siegel