By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Lithuania proved to be no match for the Niles Senior League All-Stars on Tuesday morning.
In a battle of teams looking for their first victory at the Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine, it was all Niles.
The All-Stars trailed 2-0 after a half inning of play, but scored three times in the bottom of the first en route to a 12-2 victory over Lithuania in five innings.
Niles scored twice in the second and fourth innings, four times in the third and once in the fifth to cut the game short by the mercy rule.
Pitchers Jesse McCombs and Tyler Knisely combined to toss a five-hitter with six strikeouts and just two walks.
Knisely worked the final three innings to earn the victory.
The Niles offense came alive as well on Tuesday. The All-Stars finished with 15 hits, including a 3-for-4 performance with three RBIs from Corey Johnson. Andrew Brawley was a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI, while Taylor Ort and Tyler Jackson were both 2-for-2 with an RBI.
After giving up a pair of runs in the top half of the first, Niles scored three times with two outs in the bottom of the frame.
Johnson got the rally started as he singled with one out. With two outs, Kevin Gross doubled home Johnson and then scored on a single by Dominique Pompey.
Ort singled home the third run of the inning.
Two more runs crossed the plate for Niles in the second inning as Jackson doubled and scored on a double by Johnson with one out. Dan Reidenbach then followed with a double to plate Johnson to make it 5-2.
Niles blew the contest open in the third inning with four runs.
Ort singled to opened the third inning. Brawley followed with a walk.
Will Coar followed with a walk and came around to score when Jackson singled and advanced to third on an error.
Knisely then reached base on an error to put runners at second and third for Johnson, who promptly doubled home both runners.
Leading 9-2, Niles added two runs in the fourth.
Justin Stroud led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on a single by Brawley and a wild pitch. Coar singled to drive in both runs.
With the pitchers holding Lithuania scoreless, Niles finished the game with a run in the fifth.
Gross reached base on an error and came around to score on a single by Brawley.
Niles will take today off before wrapping up pool play on Thursday against Texas East on Thursday at 8 p.m.