Nova shakes off Andrews Post to snatch its 11th state American Legion crown.
By Justin Pelletier
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA – They could almost taste No. 11.

With two outs in the eighth inning, Andrews Post held a 6-5 edge over two-time defending champion Nova Seafood. With an undefeated tournament record, all Andrews had to do was hang on for four more outs and the club would win its 11th state American Legion title, and do it over their arch-rival.

Four outs later, however, tournament MVP Ryan Flaherty of Nova had singled, scored a run and drove in two more with a two-out double in the ninth to pull Nova past Andrews 8-6. In Game 2, out of pitching, Andrews crumbled, losing the final game of the season 17-7 in eight innings.

“Once we had the chance to win it, we had to go to our best pitcher,” said Andrews coach Mike Rutherford. “That was Rocco Toppi. He pitched well, and even the double that pulled them ahead was a great pitch. There’s a reason why Flaherty is the MVP.”

Flaherty’s biggest hit came in the ninth inning. With Mike D’Andrea and Donny Drake on base, Flaherty lined a 3-2 pitch that would have been ball four off the outside corner of the plate into right field for a double, bringing both runners home.

“I asked my catcher when he came back to the dugout after that inning about the pitch,” said Rutherford. “They all agreed that it was a good pitch, and that Flaherty just did an amazing job at getting to it.”

Armed with the first victory of the day, Nova put a scare into some of its fans in Game 2, allowing five runs in the first inning to fall into a 5-1 hole.

“They went after the first game, and we knew that when they brought in Toppi,” said Nova coach Mike D’Andrea, whose son scored the winning run. “I didn’t expect (Nova starter Ryan) Reid to give up five in the first of the next game, but it worked out in the end. He settled right down.”

Reid finished the game allowing just three hits from the second inning on to record the complete-game victory. Reid’s run support came sporadically at first, but in droves as Andrews started to run out of pitching.

“We ran out of gas,” said Rutherford. “We didn’t have the horses to get their big guns out and they made us pay for it.”

After climbing to within two in the third, Nova erupted for five in the fifth on four hits and an error, pushing its first lead of the day to 9-6. Andrews got one back in the sixth, but Nova was just getting warmed up. In the seventh, the first eight batters reached base, with the first seven crossing home before Andrews could record an out.

“We’ve had great games with them all year,” said the elder D’Andrea, whose team finished with a 5-4 record against Andrews (also Portland High School during the high school season) this year. “We have a lot of respect for them as I know they do for us. Both teams had an outstanding tournament.”

Nova Seafood advances to the New England regional tournament in Torrington, Conn. starting on Aug. 14.

jpelletier@sunjournal.com

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