MOT wins ticket to Intermediate World Series in California

DOVER — MOT had to battle the rain and New Jersey all afternoon and evening on Thursday.

But in the end, the Middletown-area all-stars prevailed, downing South Vineland, N.J., 2-0, to capture the Intermediate baseball East Regional at Dover Little League.

The title sends MOT across the country for the Intermediate World Series in Livermore, Calif. The Delaware state champions went 5-0 in the tournament, posting shutouts in each of their last two contests.

Jordyn Brown pitched a complete-game four-hitter with 12 strikeouts and no walks. He threw 89 pitches in the seven-inning game.

MOT got the contest’s only two runs in the fourth inning when Miles Clark singled and Nathan Collins doubled, with both scoring runs and picking up RBI. Colton Murray and A.J. Nichols also had hits.

The last three teams left in the East Regional had been dealing with the rain for the past two days.

New Jersey downed Pennsylvania in the losers’ bracket game earlier in the day on Thursday. It was New Jersey’s third straight win in an elimination game.

The finals were then slated to start at 1 p.m. but didn’t begin until about 3:40. After playing a couple innings, the two squads then had to wait out an extended rain delay.

The contest didn’t resume until 8 p.m. and didn’t finish until after 9 p.m.

MOT will play its opener in the World Series on Sunday at 3 p.m. EST when it faces Macon, Ga,

The Intermediate all-stars are the second MOT squad to earn a World Series berth in the last two days. Middletown’s Senior League softball squad won the Eastern Regional on Wednesday in Worcester, Mass.

The MOT softball team will begin play in the Senior League World Series on Monday at Lower Sussex.

Major League

MOT 5, Lewes 3: The District I champions advanced to the state finals with the win on Thursday evening.

Host MOT (1-0) will play again on Saturday at 7 p.m. with a trip to the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Bristol, Conn. on the line.

District III champion Lewes (1-1) will face Naamans (0-1) again on Friday at 7 p.m. at MOT. Lewes beat Naamans, 10-0, on Wednesday.

8-10 tournament

MOT 5, Milton 0: The Middletown squad advanced to the state finals after posting the shutout victory on Thursday.

MOT (1-1) will face Brandywine (1-0) on Friday at 7 p.m. at Canal needing a win to force a second game for the title on Saturday.

For MOT, Thursday’s win avenged a 3-2 loss to Milton in the tournament opener.

The state champion advances to the East Regional in Cranston, R.I.

Softball

8-10 tournament

Lower Sussex 10, MOT 0: The District III champions claimed the state crown with the win on Thursday night.

Lower Sussex (3-1), which won three games in a row to come out of the losers’ bracket, moves on to the Eastern Regional in Staten Island, N.Y.