Youngstown stars win 8-7 at world series

Vic Kuchmaner hit a two-run homer for the Babe Ruth 14-year-old all-stars and Brandon Ritchie pitched into the sixth inning for the victory.

APPLETON, Wis. — The Youngstown Babe Ruth 14-year-old all-stars won a big game at the World Series on Monday, defeating North Syracuse, N.Y., 8-7.

The victory gave Youngstown a 2-1 record in pool play, with one game remaining — today at 2:30 p.m. against Hamilton, Ariz. Hamilton is 2-0 in the tournament.

Youngstown is alone in second place in the American Division of the tournament, behind Hamilton. Eau Claire, Wis. (1-1) is the only other team in the division with one loss.

The top three teams advance to single-elimination bracket play starting Thursday.

On Monday Vic Kuchmaner of Youngstown went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in the first inning.

Kuchmaner scored two runs and drove in four runs on the day. He has three hits in the tournament, two for extra bases.

Christopher Maze also had two hits, including a double, and Drew Delsignore singled twice.

Maze is batting .714 (5-for-7) in the tournament.

Winning pitcher Brandon Ritchie and Robert Vargo also hit doubles for Youngstown, which led 8-3 before allowing four runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Ritchie went the first 51‚Ñ3 innings, allowing six hits and three runs, all earned.

Both teams scored twice in the first inning before Youngstown took the lead with single runs in the second and third innings.

New York closed to 4-3 in the top of the fourth before Youngstown pulled away with two runs in the bottom of the inning and two more in the fifth.

In Monday’s first game Hamilton, Ariz., defeated Jupiter, Fla., 8-0. Later, Appleton, Wis., defeated Minnatonka, Minn., 5-4, and Cranston, R.I., edged North Bend, Ore., 1-0.

Youngstown has also defeated Jupiter, 4-2, on Sunday, after losing to Eau Claire, Wis., 5-2, in its first game on Saturday.