By By DREW ELLIS / Special to Niles Daily Star
MT. PLEASANT -- Baseball is a game of inches.
Niles learned that the hard way on Saturday as it lost 7-6 to Birmingham when tying run, Ben Cabe was thrown out at home to end the game.
The loss ends the Major Little League State Championship run for Niles who finished the tournament at 1-2.
Niles entered the top of the sixth inning trailing 7-3, but managed to cut the lead to 7-6 thanks to a two-run single by Nick Davis, and an RBI single by Cabe.
With one out, Birmingham had a wild pitch go past the catcher. With the ball passing, Aaron Davis attempted to go to third but was thrown out for the second out of the inning.
On the next at bat, Cameron Sly ripped a single to right field and Cabe attempted to reach home but was narrowly thrown out by Tyler Haggerson of Birmingham.
The game opened up on a positive note for Niles as Nick Davis hit a solo home run in the second inning to give Niles the 1-0 lead.
Birmingham had a five-run second to take the lead but Niles fought back and cut the lead down to 6-3 in the fourth.
Momentum appeared to shift for Niles in the bottom of the fourth when second baseman Aaron Davis caught a line drive by just an inch to end the inning, but Niles couldn't regain the lead.
The loss stings a little more for Coach Brawley who felt his team was a final-four team.
Despite being eliminated, Niles has enjoyed its time in Mt. Pleasant. Asaad Ali took home the title of Homerun Derby Champion on Friday night, hitting seven home runs in the little league contest.
With the weekend over, coach Brawley feels like his team's goal of bringing something back to Niles has been met.