Wyoma no-hits WLA, forces winner-take-all game today in City Series final

LYNN – Pitching ace Brendan Powicki of the Wyoma Rangers was one pitch away from nailing down a no-hitter in Monday’s Lynn Little League City Series ? and as he wound up to throw, there was a timeout called.His manager walked to the mound to tell him the bad news: that his pitch count of 85 throws had been reached and he must come off the mound.Most importantly was the score. Wyoma only led 2-1 and a loss meant the end of the season.Manager Steve Moccia kept his cool, gathering the concerned Rangers on the mound to explain the situation and make position changes.On the hill now was Nick Peveri. Anybody but Powicki (who had 16 strikeouts in this one) was fine, sighed West Lynn American Red Sox fans.The next WLA batter wanted to break up the no-hitter and start a rally. Indeed, two runs would win the championship.But Peveri was up to the task. He got the game-ending strikeout to nail down the win, preserve the no-hitter and send the two rivals into Tuesday’s grand finale at host Pine Hill. Both teams have one loss now and the winner takes home the trophy tomorrow.Click here for a photo gallery.The Red Sox most likely start Lenny Ryan while Wyoma may come back with a Ryan of its own, Travis Ryan. Powicki will play shortstop.The closest thing to a hit for Sean Leydon’s well-coached Sox was Lenny Ryan’s tremendous drive off Powicki to right center in the third inning. The outfielder bobbled it and it fell for a miscue. Strong-running Ryan wound up on third and before you could say Jacoby Ellsbury, he stole home for WLA’s lone run. It was tied 1-1.Wyoma began the game with a long home run by Peveri off Sox slinger Ricardo Perez, who pitched very well after that.With the score tied, an unlikely hero emerged for Wyoma: James Wilkins. When Jake Valeri, the announcer, blared the batter’s name over the microphone, some fans said “Who?” That’s because Wilkins spent the previous week in Williamsport, PA, home of the Little League World Series. He was there to sharpen his skills, have a vacation, and come back anew. His father Chad Wilkins, the Wyoma president, rode miles and miles to the camp and back, and then down there again and back to deliver James home in time for the City Series.The younger Wilkins showed off his hitting skills instantly. He slammed the first pitch thrown to him hard into center field to score the eventual game-winner.Tourney Tidbits: One of the last no-hitters in the Lynn City Series finals was in 1958 when George (Buddy) Papagelis of the West Lynn National Phillies won the City Series championship game 1-0 with a perfect game – and hit a home run for the only run of the thriller. ? Pete Pedro, a Lynn teacher and a football legend at Lynn Tech, in college and for the Patriots, was enjoying watching his grandson Eric Pedro play for West Lynn, and announced that he will return for one more year as a teacher at the Fecteau-Leary School starting in September. ? Aedan Leydon excelled at second base for WLA and Spencer DiVirgilio had a hard hit for Wyoma. Tuesday’s game starts at 5:45.