How Blackwood Advanced to District Championship

Blackwood Kiwanis Little League's 11- and 12-year-old all-star team didn't take the easy route to the New Jersey District 14 championship round.

Then, the team knew its final step wouldn't be easy before it took the field to face Barrington in a must-win game at Haddon Heights Monday night.

Barrington had defeated Blackwood (4-1) by a 14-4 score just a week earlier, after all.

So, it came as no surprise it took extra innings for BKLL to eliminate Barrington and advance to Game 1 of the championship round tonight, when it will meet crosstown rival Erial (4-0).

Barrington scored four runs in the sixth inning to tie Monday's game, 9-9. It plated three runs in the frame after a controversial decision by the umpires to overturn an apparent strikeout—a strikeout Blackwood players, coaches and supporters thought had ended the game.

Barrington took a two-run lead in the seventh inning.

It was the bottom of the seventh when Joey Logan started the Blackwood heroics.

Following a single by John Donegan, Logan stepped to the plate with two outs and, after two strikes, smacked a two-run home run to tie the game, 11-11.

Logan then shut down Barrington in the top of the eighth, setting up Eric DiDomenico's heroics.

With two outs in the bottom of the eight, DiDomenico stepped to the plate with two outs and two runners on base—Brian Pereira and Matt Prendergast, both of whom had singled.

Just like Logan an inning earlier, DiDomenico fell behind, with two strikes.

Just like Logan an inning earlier, DiDomenico came through for Blackwood, roping a single down the left-field line to plate the game-winning run, and setting up the all-Gloucester Township District 14 championship matchup with unbeaten Erial.

In addition to Logan, Prendergast and Jake Jones hit home runs for Blackwood Monday night.

Tonight's game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Erial's George Erdbrink Complex.

If Erial wins tonight, it is District 14 champion. If Blackwood wins, the teams would play a winner-takes-all game scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday night, also at Erdbrink Complex.