By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Regional champs!
The Niles Senior Baseball All-Stars are the Little League Central States Regional champions following a 3-0 victory over Iowa late Wednesday night.
Niles, the top seed at the tournament in Peru, Ill., advanced to the finals with a 9-4 victory over Ohio.
Iowa, the second seed, moved into the finals after defeating Wisconsin, 10-7.
Niles will play in the Little League Senior League World Series in Bangor, Maine. Play begins on Sunday.
In the championship game on Wednesday, Niles scored a run in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead.
The All-Stars sealed the victory with a two-run fifth inning.
The team then turned the ball over to Taylor Ort, who went the distance to pick up the victory.
Ort tossed a two-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk.
Niles had just four hits in the contest, but made the most of them. Niles also took advantage of a pair of Iowa errors.
Corey Johnson doubled and drove in a run for Niles, which also got hits from Anthony Gladden, Ort and Andrew Brawley.
Gladden and Ort also drove in runs.
Gladden, Kevin Gross and Tyler Jackson all scored runs for the All-Stars.
"It was a great baseball game," Niles manager Bill Coar said this morning. "Both games were. The kids really came through. The pitching was great for us. We hit the ball well, especially in the first game."
Ort said his team finished with 15 hits in the semifinals against Ohio.
In one inning, Will Coar singled and doubled for the All-Stars.
Jesse McCombs went the distance to pick up the victory in the semifinals.
"Everybody seemed like they hit very well in the first game," Bill Coar commented.
Niles was able to maintain its focus throughout the tournament and heading into the title game on Wednesday night.
"I told the kids we have one baseball game to win today," Bill Coar said.
Niles will now begin preparation for its first appearance in the World Series.
There will be a send-off at Thomas Stadium at 7 p.m. on Friday.
The team will fly out of Chicago's O'Hare Airport on Saturday morning.
Niles will be in Pool B along with Vilnius Little League (Lithuania), Paraguana Little League (Venezuela) and Rose Capital East (Tyler, Texas).
The representative from the East Regional has yet to be determined.
In Pool A will be Saipan Little League, which will represent Asia Pacific, Cartersville Little League (Cartersville, Ga.), the host team Brewer/Orrington Little League (Brewer, Maine) and Hilo American/National Little League (Hilo, Hawaii).
The representative from Canada has yet to be determined.
Niles will play its first game on Sunday night as it faces Latin America (Paraguana) at 8 p.m.
On Monday, Niles will take on the East Regional champion at 1 p.m., while on Tuesday it will face Vilnius at 10 a.m.
The fourth game for the All-Stars will pit them against Rose Capital on Thursday at 8 p.m.
Niles is scheduled to have an off day on Wednesday, Aug. 15.
The semifinals will be held on Friday, Aug. 17 at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The winners advance to the championship game at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18.
Maine District 3 will get the opening ceremonies started at 4 p.m. with a skills competition, featuring a home run derby and pitching accuracy.
At 5:30 p.m. fans can watch a vintage baseball game, which will lead up to the official opening ceremony at 7:45 p.m.
The teams and players will march onto the field with the state or national flag in a parade of champions.
The teams and the umpires for the series will be announced at this time.
At 8 p.m., Bangor and the rest of Maine will welcome the players and umpires.
Brewer resident and Former University of Maine standout Joe Ferris will deliver the first pitch.
Ferris, a pitcher, helped Maine to its first NCAA World Series appearance in 1964.
The ceremonies will conclude with fireworks.
Tickets for the World Series are $35 for adults and $25 for children and will be available at the gate..
Single day tickets are also available for $10.