Milton major all-stars battle back to reach District 3 final

Convincing victories knock out Millsboro, Lower Sussex and Nanticoke

Nehemiah Woods showed off his long stride to the plate when he started the Milton major all-stars’ July 15 game against Lower Sussex at Woodbridge Little League in Bridgeville. AARON MUSHRUSH PHOTOS

Aaron R. Mushrush

July 18, 2024

Fighting for their tournament lives, the Milton major all-stars reached the District 3 finals after rattling off four straight wins against Millsboro, Lower Sussex, Nanticoke and Georgetown. Each game was closer than the last, battle-testing the young squad.

Millsboro

Chase Madden opened the July 14 game with a walk before coming around to score and give Milton a 1-0 lead over Millsboro. The second inning began with a walk and hit-by-pitch before Millsboro could record the first out. Four straight walks inflated the lead to four before a run was scored during an inning-ending double play that began with Madden’s line-out.

Ty Tilinghast’s single was sandwiched in between the first two outs of the fourth inning. Tillinghast used his savvy to score on a Colton Wall single that started a two-out rally. Wall came around to score after Logan Cole’s grounder forced an error. Mason Conran plated Cole on a single to make it 8-0 Milton heading into the bottom of the third. Sitting Millsboro down in order, Milton produced another two-out rally in the fourth when Cam Books scored and Tillinghast drove in Madden for a 10-0 lead.

Millsboro staved off a mercy-rule loss by scoring three in the bottom of the fourth inning. Milton responded with patience at the plate to register two more runs in the fifth before conceding another run in the bottom of the fifth. A two-out double off the bat of Conran scored Tillinghast in the top of the sixth before Conran struck out the side to secure the 13-4 win. The trio of Tillinghast, Wall and Noah Smith led the team with two hits each.

Lower Sussex

Madden opened again with a splash when he tripled to start the July 15 game against Lower Sussex. Smith drove him in with a single the next at-bat and Milton grabbed a lead it would not concede. Conran and Deas crossed the plate in the top of the second to give Milton a 3-0 advantage. Conceding the only run of the game in the bottom of the second, Milton responded when Smith opened the third with a double and made his way to home following a Tillinghast sacrifice and a pair of passed balls.

Lower Sussex began to threaten in the bottom half of the third, but Milton snatched momentum when Smith picked off Brantley Collins at second. Milton’s Wyatt reached first on a swinging bunt and meticulously made his way to third before being driven in by a Madden single to right field.

It was all the scoring Milton needed, as they cruised to a 5-1 victory. Madden led the team with three hits, while Smith and Deas each collected a pair.

Nanticoke

Although he did not start the game off with a hit, Madden did start on the mound for Milton July 16. Nearly going the distance, Madden struck out eight over 5.1 innings, surrendering just one hit and one walk in the 2-0 shutout of Nanticoke.

Milton opened up the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Nehemiah Woods singled to start the inning before Wall walked. Cole grounded into a fielder's choice to keep runners at first and second for Conran. With one out, Conran reached first base on an error that scored Woods and Cole. The two runs were all Milton would need.

Georgetown

Milton squared off against Georgetown July 17 for a spot in the District 3 title game against rival Lewes. Noah Smith fired six innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit while striking out eight in the 9-0 victory. In a defensive battle through the first three frames, Milton broke through when a Cole grounder forced an error to score Wall in the top of the fourth. The bats fell silent for both teams once again, but re-entered the game with a few bangs in the top of the sixth inning. Tillinghast drove in two with a single before coming around to score on a Cole single. Wall and Woods scored the next at-bat when Conran smoked a liner into left. Britt Thompson tripled in Cole, Conran and Deas to give Milton a 9-0 advantage.

After the Cape Gazette deadline, the Milton squad took on Lewes, the team that gave them their initial loss, in the District 3 title game. Milton must win two while Lewes only needs one victory to claim the championship.

Ty Tillinghast fires a ball over to first for the first out in the bottom of the first inning.

Mason Conran locates the ball after reaching second base on a Brody Deas single in the top of the second inning.

Brody Deas looks to home plate after reaching second base on a passed ball.

Mason Conran crosses home for Milton’s second run of the game.

Lower Sussex’s Landon Collins somehow avoids the tag of Milton third baseman Colton Wall.

Noah Smith leads off the third inning with a double.

Ty Tillinghast got just under this ball, but his fly-out advanced Noah Smith to third.

Noah Smith scores on a passed ball to increase Milton’s lead to 4-1 over Lower Sussex.

Nehemiah Woods beats the ball to the bag to steal second in the third inning.

Logan Cole throws to first for the initial out in the bottom of the third inning.

Brody Deas is caught in a rundown after trying to stretch a single.

Lane Wyatt laid down a swinging bunt and reached first before the ball could be fielded.

Chase Madden reaches out over the plate to connect on an RBI single in the top of the fourth inning.

Lane Wyatt scopes the action on the base paths after scoring the fifth and final run for Milton.

Cam Brooks trots into third on a passed ball.

Colton Wall took over on the mound in the third inning.

Logan Cole gathers himself before firing the ball to first for the opening out in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Chase Madden charges and scoops the ball before throwing to first for the final out in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Mason Conran bounces around on the base paths after reaching second on a passed ball.

Ty Tillighast tagged Rowan Battaglia before he could reach second base and kept the tag on as the runner touched second.

Nehemiah Woods, center, is congratulated by Chase Madden, left, and Mason Conran.

Britt Thompson closed out the game for Milton on the mound.

Ty Tillinghast goes down to keep a ball thrown in from the outfield from getting away.