Darien Little League’s run comes to an end as they fall in Metro Regional final to N.J.

BRISTOL – Darien was trying to get to the Little League World Series for the first time since 1958. Bayonne (N.J.) was trying to get to the Little League World Series for the first time. After going down early, the New Jersey team rallied in the bottom of the fifth to score four runs, Bayonne pitcher Mason Rincon shut down the Darien offense and Bayonne will head to the Little League World Series in Williamsport after an 8-6 win in the Little League Metro Region championship game Friday night at the Giamatti Little League complex. Owen Feliz had five RBI and two doubles for Bayonne. It was Darien’s second loss to New Jersey in the Metro tournament after falling 8-2 in the first game on Saturday. “Great season for our team – these boys battled so hard through districts, through sectionals, to the state championship, here, losing our first game and battling back to the championship game,” Darien manager Joe Paccione said. “Being up early in this game, being that close – six outs away from Williamsport – these kids left it all on the field. They played a great game. That Bayonne team is a great team. They have great hitters and they’re really good players. They came to play and did what they had to do.” Darien jumped on Bayonne early, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. Hugh Butler’s triple drove in the first run and Alex Abelson had an RBI single. Jack Houlihan and Roscoe Hurty also drove in runs for Connecticut. New Jersey scored two runs on an Owen Feliz double to center then Darien pitcher Chase Sutter struck out the next three batters. He continued his strikeout streak by striking out the side in the second inning. Darien added two more runs on a Sutter home run over the fence in left field in the third to give Connecticut a 6-2 lead. But Darien ran into trouble in the bottom of the third. Sutter walked the first batter, struck out the next two batters but Gabe Garcia singled and Mason Rincon got his second intentional walk of the game to load the bases. Feliz had a fielders choice and Rincon beat the throw to second and Dex Zimmerman scored. Jett Bridges drew a walk which scored another New Jersey run to make it 6-4. Sutter struck out the final batter to end the inning. Sutter had to leave the mound with one out in the bottom of the fourth when he reached the 85-pitch count limit. Hurty came in and gave up one walk, but then struck out the next two batters to end the inning. After Darien intentionally walked Rincon, New Jersey’s top batter, for the third time, New Jersey tied the score at 6 on a double by Feliz in bottom of the fifth and went ahead of Darien, 7-6, with a RBI single by Bridges. Chase Klimkowski followed that with an RBI single to make it 8-6.