The Branford Senior American Legion Post 83 baseball team dropped its opening game of the World Series as Moline (Ill.) scored six runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to earn a 15-7 victory at Spokane, Wash.

Post 83 next faced Kernsville (N.C.) in an elimination game for both teams at 1 p.m. EST on Saturday, Aug. 14. (Watch it live here)

After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, Branford scored a run in the second when Dan Mercado reached on an error, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Joe Perez. Post 83 then put up a four-spot in the third as Buddy Shea got to first on an error, Oliver Hart singled, and both moved up one base on a sacrifice bunt from John Lefeber. That set things up for Pat Simone, who blasted a three-run homer to right field to give Branford a 4-2 lead, an advantage it extended later in the inning when Jeff Stoddard singled, Perez walked, and Mike Forgione and Casey Dadio each singled, the latter hit making it 5-2. Moline's starting pitcher, Sam Welvaert, was removed during this inning. 
However, it was all Moline from that point on as it plated six runs in the fourth inning against Branford starter Shaun Coughlin to go ahead 8-5. Post 83 got one run back in the bottom half when Hart reached on an error, Simone singled, then Stoddard's ground-out scored Hart to cut it to 8-6. But Moline countered with six more runs in the fifth against reliever John Lefeber to break open the game at 14-6.

Lefeber pitched well the rest of the way, allowing just one more run through four innings, but Moline had done all the damage it needed to get the victory. Branford tallied its final run in the sixth inning when Lefeber reached on an error, Simone was hit by a pitch, both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Lefeber scored on Mercado's ground-out.

Moline pounded out 22 hits in this contest, including two home runs, and Branford had 11. Each team committed four errors.

For Branford, Dadio had three hits with a walk and an RBI; Shea walked and scored a run; Hart scored twice and singled; Lefeber doubled and scored a run; Simone hit a single to go with his three-run homer; Stoddard singled and scored a run with an RBI; Mercado scored a run and had an RBI; Perez hit two singles with a walk and an RBI; and Forgione singled twice and walked.