• D-BAT used a six-run fourth inning to blow the game open.
• Jimmy Glowenke and Jackson Kennemore hit home runs to propel D-BAT's offense.
• Dylan Reynolds and Mike Caruso finished the day with three RBIs each to power the Bombers.
• Connecticut gave up seven walks, five of which came around to score.

FARMINGTON — D-BAT Elite 17U is chasing its second world series title this summer, and the Dallas-based team is now one of six squads still vying for the Connie Mack World Series crown after toppling the Connecticut Bombers 15-7 in Game 15 tonight at Ricketts Park.

The win in the elimination game also provided D-BAT with a boost after the team dropped an 8-5 game to the Dallas Tigers on Monday.

“Even though we lost our last game, the energy was good. Every game is an elimination game for us, and it feels good to be rolling right now,” said D-BAT left fielder Jackson Kennemore, who finished the game 2 for 3 with a home run and four runs batted in.

D-BAT racked up 10 hits in the game and drew seven walks from Connecticut’s pitching staff.

The Bombers (1-2) started the top of the first inning with a lead-off walk and a single to put two on with no outs for Dylan Reynolds. Reynolds hit a chopper down the first-base line that stayed just fair and drove in both runners. Reynolds later scored on a sacrifice fly from Mike Caruso to make it 3-0.

D-BAT (2-1) answered in the bottom of the inning with a towering two-run home run from Jimmy Glowenke.

D-BAT took the lead in the bottom of the second. Noah Sifrit drove in one run to tie the game at 3-3. Then in the next at-bat, Heston Kjerstad hit to left-center for a two-RBI double.

Lightning lit up the sky at the start of the third inning and caused a delay that lasted an hour and 15 minutes.

When play resumed, D-BAT added to its lead, getting an RBI single from Kennemoore to extend the lead to 6-3.

The Bombers, based out of Hamden, Conn., put together a two-out rally in the top of the fourth to retake the lead.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Reynolds drew a walk to push in one run. In the next at-bat, Caruso singled to right field to drive in two more runs. Then, Zach Ardito hit a ground ball to second base that resulted in an error and allowed the fourth run of the inning to score and gave the Bombers a 7-6 advantage.

“When we came back with four runs in the fourth inning, I told my boys that we needed to tighten things up on defense because you can’t give (D-BAT) a free 90 feet and baserunners because they’re a good hitting team,” Connecticut coach Greg Simler said. “You give them a little leeway, and they’re going to take advantage of it.”

And that’s exactly what happened in the bottom of the fourth. In the inning, the Bombers walked two batter and committed two errors to help D-BAT to a six-run inning and a 12-7 lead.

D-BAT added its final three runs of the game in the sixth when Kennemore hit a three-run homer to end the game via the run rule.

The loss sends the Bombers back to the East Coast, but Simler said the experience he and his players got at the world series has the team eager to return in the future.

“It’s been phenomenal,” Simler said of the series. “A bunch of the guys talked about how this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and how much fun they had. We’re looking forward to coming back some day.”

D-BAT advances to the fourth round and will play Farmington’s Strike Zone (2-1) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Ricketts Park.

“We just need to keep swinging the bats the way we know we can and our pitchers need to cut down on the walks a little bit, and I have confidence in them to do that,” Kennemore said. “If we can do that and keep playing solid defense we’ll be good.”

Karl Schneider is the sports editor for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4648.

Highlights

D-BAT Elite 17U

Leading hitters: Jackson Kennemore, 2 for 3, HR, 4 RBIs, BB. Jimmy Glowenke, 2 for 3, HR, 3 RBIs, BB

WP: Ryan Stuempfig

Connecticut Bombers

Leading hitters: Dylan Reynolds, 1 for 2, 2 BB, 2 R, 3 RBIs. Mike Caruso, 1 for 3, 3 RBIs

LP: James Judenis