By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- The opening game of the 2004 Cal Ripken Jr. 12-year-old State Tournament was nearly perfect Friday night at Firemen's Youth Park.
The only thing that went wrong was the home team lost.
Fans couldn't have asked for a better game to kick off the tournament as Lansing Portland outlasted the Brandywine A team for a 3-2 win in seven innings.
Both teams combined for just four errors and managed 16 hits between them.
The game was part of the opening round of play in Pool A. Benton Harbor is also in Pool A and was scheduled to face both teams later Friday night. No results from those games was available at press time.
The tournament continues today with Pool B play. Brandywine B faces Clinton Valley at 9 a.m. with the winner facing Lanse Cruse North at 11 a.m. and the loser facing Lanse Cruse North at 1 p.m.
The 11-year-old State Tournament begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday and the two 12-year-old pools will play crossover games on Sunday.
Brandywine has no team in the 11-year-old Tournament.
Cameron Smallmon started on the mound for Brandywine Friday night and was relieved by Wayne Marazita in the third inning. Dustin Bell came on in the fourth and finished the game.
Bell drove in the game-tying run in the top of the seventh with a single up the middle. He finished with a pair of singles to pace the Brandywine offense. Mikel Lindzy doubled while Dillion Bailey, Smallmon and Aaron Saltsman each came up with a single.
Saltsman helped prevent Portland from lengthening its lead in the bottom of the seventh when he caught a fly ball in center field and threw out the runner trying to score from third.
Derek Nichols also pulled off a double play as he caught a line drive and tagged the runner between first and second.
Trevor Maus led Portland at the plate with three singles. Mitch Hoppes earned the pitching victory with relief help from Tyler Smith.