File:Little League 2018, Lions Club Jordon Herbert slides safely home July 2018.jpg

Brunswick Sports: Brunswick "Lions" Little League 2018

From the Frederick News Post, July 6, 2018

Photo Caption: The Brunswick Lions’ Jordon Herbert slides safely home under the tag of the Frederick Hurricanes’ Kade Henry to score on a double by Joe Luse on Thursday night in the fourth inning at McCrudy Field. Photo by Bill Green

Brunswick wins inaugural district Junior LL title by Bill Cauley

With the score tied at 4 and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Brunswick needed some sort of edge to push across a go-ahead run against Frederick on Thursday at McCurdy Field in the District 2 Junior Little League championship.

That edge came when Jordan Herbert hit a grounder to third base. Josh Duncan, who had tripled two batters earlier, bolted for home.

The throw home was high, well out of reach of the Hurricanes’ catcher. Duncan scored on the play.

From there, Brunswick tacked on four more runs, then held Frederick to a single run in the top of the seventh for a 9-5 win, taking the best-of-three district championship series 2-1.

“We had to hit the ball, get some more runs across the plate,” Lions third baseman Joe Nuse said. “We lost the second game in this series, so we needed to come out and play hard in this one.”

Thursday’s championship is believed to be a first-of-its kind District 2 Junior Little League title, District 2 administrator Tony Russo said. Thurmont used to be part of the Junior Little League program and had sent teams directly to the state tournaments.

Brunswick advances to the Junior Little League State Tournament next Saturday at Tri Cities Little League in Hurlock (Dorchester County).

Brunswick had won the first game of the series 8-6, but Frederick evened it with a 15-14 win. In all three games, both teams battled back and forth.

The Lions took a 2-0 lead in the first on Thursday. The Hurricanes scored three in the top of the third for a 3-2 lead. Then, Brunswick took advantage of two Frederick errors in the fourth for a pair of runs and a 4-3 lead.

The Hurricanes tied it at 4 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Chase Hood. In the bottom of the sixth, Duncan drove a triple to deep center field.

After Collin Dinges grounded out, Herbert hit his grounder to third. Duncan scored on the error. Herbert moved to second on the play, then scored when Nuse singled to left.

Nolan Pearl hit a long ball to deep right field for a ground-run double. Since Nuse was going on the pitch and had already made it safely to third, he advanced to score.

Bryton Schnur followed with a RBI single to right. The Lions’ final run scored on an error.

Frederick threatened in the top of the seventh with one out. Luke Chappell singled to left, then stole second. Kade Henry singled up the middle.

Chase Henry doubled to left-center, scoring Chappell. Ethan Sanbower walked to load the bases before Schnur, who got the win in relief, retired the final two batters in order for the win.

Nuse led Brunswick with three hits. Herbert had two. Chappell had three hits with an RBI for Frederick. Hood had two hits with a double.