The Branford Senior American Legion Post 83 baseball team showed tons of heart by rallying in the ninth inning of its World Series elimination game against Kernsville (N.C.) on August 14, but ultimately dropped an 8-6 decision as another remarkable summer came to a close for Rich Balzano's program.

Branford had battled back all game and was down 8-5 entering the ninth when Buddy Shea drew a leadoff walk. After Oliver Hart flew out, John Lefeber singled and then Brian Levy, who had recently entered as a substitute, hit a single that loaded the bases. Dan Mercado's ensuing grounder forced out Shea at home, yet Post 83 kept the rally going when Jessie Castaldi's walk brought in Lefeber to make it 8-6. Unfortunately, that was how it ended as Joe Perez grounded out to second to end the game.

Post 83, which won the Zone II title and earned its third state and Northeast Regional championships in six seasons, finished with a record of 34-10.

"I really thought we'd get it done, but it just didn't happen," Balzano said. "We left 13 men on base in the first game and then 11 yesterday and a lot of them were in scoring position. We were the eighth-best team in the country though and after the game I told the team that we should be proud of that."

Branford, which had lost to Moline (Ill.) in its opening contest, fell behind Kernsville 3-0 in the first inning behind a two-run home run and a two-out single. Starting pitcher Pat Simone was relieved after the first by fellow lefty Jeff Stoddard, who threw the next six innings.

Stoddard gave up two runs in the fifth, but Branford responded with three in the bottom half. Mike Forgione got it started with an infield single, followed by Casey Dadio's single. Shea then singled to fill the bases, after which Hart drew a walk that plated Forgione for Post 83's first run.

Lefeber followed with a grounder that saw Dadio get thrown out at home, however Kernsville's catcher fired wide to first while trying to get a double play and Shea scored to make it 5-2. Kernsville's starting pitcher, Kevin Parrish, then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Hart and get Branford within 5-3.

After Kernsville added two insurance runs in the seventh, Branford responded once again by plating two, another rally started by Forgione, who walked. With two outs, Hart and Lefeber each singled, the latter hit scoring Forgione. Stoddard's single then scored Hart and cut the deficit to 7-5 as Parrish got knocked out of the game.

Kernsville tacked on one more run in the eighth inning against Stoddard. Hart, who had been playing shortstop, was brought in for relief and he escaped a jam in the eighth and then tossed a perfect ninth.
Kernsville had 14 hits in the game to Branford's nine, although Post 83 did draw nine walks. They also made no errors while Kernsville committed two.
Overall, Dadio had a hit and a walk; Shea singled, walked, and scored a run; Hart walked and singled with an RBI and two runs; Lefeber singled twice and walked with a run and an RBI; Simone drew a walk; Stoddard hit an RBI single; Levy had a single; Castaldi had an RBI on a walk; Perez walked and had an RBI; and Forgione singled and doubled with a walk and two runs scored.

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