Pushing across a run in the seventh inning, the Niagara Nationals nipped the Crystal Lake, Illinois Bombers 4-3 this afternoon in the opening round of the Gatorade National Tournament at Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Chris Goyette  opened the seventh with a single, advanced on a sacrifice by Trevor Luthart and came home on a fielders choice play off the bat of Sam Murphy. Goyette also had a single in the fifth frame to plate the Nationals first run of the day.

Trailing 3-1, the Nationals pulled even by scoring twice in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Liam Ward. A single by Murphy and a walk set up the threat.

The Nationals were blanked through the first four frames on just two scattered hits, singles by Nate Sherman and Luthart.

The Bombers had scored once in the third and twice in the fifth.

Luthart and Aiden Johnston split the pitching duties allowing a total of 5 hits with 4 strikeouts.

The Nationals next game in the tourney is Friday morning.

Jumping out to a 3-0 half-time advantage undefeated (4-0) Sweet Home went on to down visiting Medina 6-1 this evening in a Western New York Lacrosse League U16 Division game.

Christian Silversmith scored the lone Medina goal.

Robert Morehouse made 10 saves in goal for Medina which also got strong defensive efforts from Caleb Boyce, Bobby Geiger and Wesley Hughes.

Now at 2-2, Medina next hosts St. Joe’s on July 19.

Regaining the .500 mark at 4-4, Albion bested LeRoy 2 by a 12-7 score Tuesday evening in a Batavia U16 League game.

Leading by a narrow 8-7 margin, Albion put a lock on the win by scoring 4 times in the sixth inning on 4 walks, a pair of wild pitches and RBI singles by Deyonci Farley and Drew Caldwell.

Earlier, Albion scored 5 times in the second inning as Farley had a two-run single and Zander Meakin an RBI single, and then 3 times in the fourth as Bryce Kelly and Caldwell both had RBI singles for an 8-5 lead.

Farley and Caldwell both had 2 hits on the evening.

Patrick Ricker picked up the win on the mound striking out 4 in 4 innings. Kelly hurled the other 3 innings fanning 3.

Albion next faces Lyndonville on both Friday and Saturday.

Somerset erupted for 3 runs in the top of the eighth inning to key a 10-8 victory over host Tri City this evening in a Lockport Midget ‘A’ League game.

Jacob Hoffee had a two-run single and winning pitcher Eddie Wasnock drove in the other run on a fielders choice play to key the decisive rally for Somerset which was ignited by a single by Devin Mangan.  Wasnock went the distance on the mound striking out 11.

Earlier, Somerset rallied into a 6-6 tie by scoring 3 times in the fifth on a fielders choice play off the bat of Kyle MacDonald, a single by Dan Engert and a double steal.

Somerset then took a brief 7-6 lead on an RBI single by Hoffee in the sixth but Tri City reknotted the contest with a run in the seventh.

Hoffee finished with 3 hits as Mangan and Engert both had 2.

Somerset, which is now 4-2,  also downed Tri City 5-3 this past Saturday as Hoffee earned the victory on the mound fanning 11.

At the plate, Preston Harris had 3 hits and Hoffee and Chauncey McKee 2 each.

Tuning up for a national tournament, the Niagara Nationals downed the Academy Stars 8-2 this evening in a Boys of Summer League game.

Chris Goyette earned the win on the mound scattering 5 hits and striking out 6.

Joe Dell’oso, Liam Ward, Aiden Johnston and Sam Murphy each banged out 2 hits to lead the Nationals at the plate.

The Nationals took the lead for good by scoring 3 times in the third inning on hits by Murphy, Dell’oso, Ward and Johnston.

A double by Dell’oso later keyed a 2 run fifth inning as did a double by Carson Harper in the sixth.

The Nationals next begin play in the Gatorade Nationals at Grand Rapids, Michigan on Thursday.