Extra effort lifts Auburn

Auburn coach Paul Croteau told his players if they won yesterday’s opening game of the Senior League Eastern Regional, he would bring them to Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in Jackson, N.J.

Auburn defeated Elkton, Md., 8-7, but the eight-inning game was excitement enough for the two-time Massachusetts champions. The near 100 degree temperatures didn’t help either.

“They don’t want to go now,” Croteau said. “They’re wiped.”

With both teams battling each other and the elements, Elkton tied the game with two runs in the top of the seventh inning before Joe Donahue’s walk-off, pinch-hit single won it for Auburn in the eighth.

Keith Leatham led off the first extra inning with a double to right-center and advanced to third on Brenden Van Beekam’s single over the third-base bag. That set the stage for Donahue, the unlikeliest of heroes.

A starter on last year’s team, Donahue has fought for playing time this season. That effort wasn’t lost on Croteau, who made it a point to pull Donahue aside when the team arrived here on Friday.

“The kid’s been working real hard in batting practice,” Croteau said. “I told him I was going to find a way to get him into the game — that he was going to contribute.”

Did he ever, lining the first pitch he saw from Elkton reliever Jeff Beck into right field, setting off a wild celebration at home plate.

“I couldn’t be happier for him,” Croteau said.

Auburn advances in the 11-team double-elimination tournament to face the winner of last night’s game between Johnston, R.I., and host Oak Valley, N.J., at 5 p.m. tomorrow.

The winner of that game will advance to the winners’ bracket final at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The loser will play a losers’ bracket game at 1:30.

The Massachusetts champion has never advanced to the World Series, which will begin a week from today in Bangor, Maine.

“The earlier you get into the losers’ bracket, the less likely you are to come out of it,” Croteau said. “This was just one win, but a big win.”

Brian Sullivan started the game on the mound for Auburn and was relieved by Marco Cinti in the fourth.

Jeff Croteau earned the win by pitching a scoreless eighth.

After Croteau induced a ground out to begin the inning, the next batter reached on a throwing error on the second baseman, but he was gunned down by Auburn catcher Jon Leroux attempting to steal.

“Both teams were gambling a little bit,” coach Croteau said. “He had a decent jump, but Jon threw an absolute seed to get him. It was bang-bang play.”

Good thing, because the next batter singled to right-center, a hit that probably would have scored the go-ahead run. Instead, the inning ended with a fly out to center.

“We didn’t play well defensively,” said Croteau, whose team committed five errors. “We almost handed the game away, but we continued to battle.”

Leroux and Van Beekam led Auburn’s offense. Both went 2 for 2 with three walks. Leroux had two RBIs, Van Beekam one.

Elkton plated the tying runs with a two-out single in the seventh.

“The guys were a little bit upset,” coach Croteau said. “We thought we had the game won.”

Auburn also threatened to score in the seventh. An intentional walk to Leroux loaded the bases with two outs, but Evan Pluff’s sharp line drive was snared by the pitcher to end the inning.

Auburn 8, Elkton (Md.) 7

ELK

202 010 20—7 11 4

AUB

122 101 01—8 10 5

Peter Palsgrove, Jeff Beck (4) and Rob Norris; Brian Sullivan, Marco Cinti (4), Jeff Croteau (8) and Jon Leroux. Records: A 1-0, E 0-1.