Maryland team stunned in Ripken World Series

New England champ Hudson, N.H., scored a run on a balk in the top of the sixth inning to upset Charles County, Maryland, 4-3, in American Pool action Tuesday night at the 2011 Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series.

The loss, in the last game played in Day 4 of the tournament, put a snag in Charles County's run to Friday's U.S. semifinals, but the Maryland state champion could still slide in if Hawaii beats Texas Wednesday afternoon.

Playing at Cal Sr.'s Yard, Both teams took advantage of first inning two-out rallies to get on the scoreboard.

New Hampshire got a double from Jacen Hudson and a RBI single from Mike Simard, while Charles County used a single from Bryce Nicolau, a stolen base and a RBI single from David Larson to score its run.

New Hampshire (1-2) surged ahead with solo runs in the third and fifth innings. Matt McKinley walked and scored on a throwing error in the third. Hudson singled and scored when Simard's fly ball to center field was dropped in the fifth.

Charles County scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at 3-3. Ryan Oglesby tripled and scored on Nicolau's double. Nicolau then scored on a passed ball a short time later.

New Hampshire's Stephen Berry scored the game winner after ripping a leadoff double down the left field line. Berry moved to third on a groundout and then scored on the balk.

Charles County (2-2) threatened in the bottom of the sixth when Chris Levere drew a one out walk. Levere then stole two bases, but on a Nate Stewart's safety squeeze bunt, Levere got caught in a rundown and was tagged out trying to get back to third base.

Stewart made it to second on the play, but was left there as Brant Butler grounded out to second to end the game.

D.J. Lamothe pitched a complete game for the win, allowing five hits and five walks. Lamothe also struck out 10.

Matt Zabiegalski suffered the loss, pitching two innings in relief of starter David Larson.

National Division 4-way tie

Tuesday afternoon's match-up between the National Division's Southeast and Mid-Atlantic squads at the Ripken Baseball Complex's Wrigley Field ended with the Clifton Park, N.Y., boys slugging their way to victory, belting three homers in an 8-4 win over previously undefeated West Raleigh, N.C.

The game's result left both teams with 2-1 records in pool play and created an interesting situation in the National Division's standings.

Four of the division's five teams are sitting with 2-1 records heading into the final day of pool play Wednesday, when North Carolina will meet Lexington, Ky., at noon, followed by New York against Waite Park, Minn., at 2:30 p.m. Both games will be at Cal Sr.'s Yard, and the winners will advance to the next round.

In Tuesday's match-up, the Raleigh squad jumped out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the first, with Andrew Buchholz leading the charge by smashing a two-RBI double to the outfield fence.

Before the inning was over, Raleigh's Andrew Molden knocked in his team's third tally with a one-RBI single.

In the top of the second, however, Clifton Park took control of the contest by scoring four runs.

Kevin Huerter helped out the winning cause by launching a two-run home run over the fence for his first round-tripper of the tournament.

The top of the third inning saw Clifton Park run out to a 5-3 lead in short order, as Mike Jeffers ripped a solo homer.