Darien falls to New Jersey champion Bayonne in Little League Metro Region opener
· Yahoo Sports
BRISTOL - Darien found itself down three runs after just half an inning against New Jersey champion Bayonne Central in its Little League Baseball Metro Region opener on Saturday night at Breen Field.
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The District 1 and Connecticut champion wound up chasing that deficit the rest of the way and never caught up in an 8-2 loss.
Darien plays Rhode Island champion Lincoln in an elimination game Sunday at 7 p.m. Bayonne faces New York champion Port Washington on Monday at 1 p.m.
Bayonne got to Darien starter Chase Sutter for three runs in the top of the first inning, two on an infield error. The other scored on an RBI single by Jett Bridges.
"The first inning, there was definitely some nerves. I think you could tell," Darien manager Joe Paccione said. "We're usually a pretty good fielding team, and we made a couple mistakes that inning. We usually don't do that."
In the third inning, Bayonne starting pitcher Chase Klimkowski helped his own cause with an RBI single. Klimkowski recorded five of his first six outs via strikeout, but a one-out walk to Rex Paquette in the bottom of the second inning turned into a run when he got around the bases on a trio of wild pitches.
"He was great. That's always what he brings," Paccione said of Paquette's energy.
Darien got a run back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Luca Hidaka to cut the deficit to 4-2.
"They played with this team for a little bit, and hopefully they'll take away from this game that they can play with them," Paccione said. "We've got some work to do, and hopefully win a couple more games and see them again on Friday."
Bayonne broke the game open in the sixth. Mason Rincon ripped an RBI double off the center-field fence to get the scoring going. Bridges followed with a two-run single to left field to plate Owen Feliz (reached on an error) and Rincon.
Klimkowski went 4⅓ innings and gave up two runs on five hits. The tall right-hander struck out nine, walked one and hit a batter.
Bayonne scored four runs in the top of the sixth to put the game away. On the mound, Mason Rincon came on in relief and fired fastball after fastball on the way to four strikeouts in 1⅔ scoreless innings.
Bayonne recently won its first New Jersey state championship, and now it has won its regional debut.
For Darien, the focus immediately turns to Sunday's elimination game against Lincoln.
"This team has been down before. We've been in the losers bracket in the districts, we've been in the losers bracket in the sectionals," Paccione said. "I don't think it'll affect them too much. Maybe there'll be some sad faces tonight, probably some early bedtimes in the dorms, but I think they'll be ready to play tomorrow.
"We've got a baseball game tomorrow, and we'll go out and do the best we can to win that game."
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