Saugus Edges Hoover, 4-3, in Tournament Championship

Saugus High baserunner Tom Burges scored from second base on an error with two out in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday to give the Centurions a 4-3 victory over Hoover in the championship game of the Glendale tournament at Casey Stengel Field.

Burges walked to begin the inning and advanced on Darrell Davis’ sacrifice bunt down the first-base line. He scored when Hoover shortstop Adam Denne mishandled cleanup hitter J. B. Johnson’s ground ball.

Saugus scored first when Johnson singled home Davis in the first inning. Davis was hit by a Paul Derrick pitch before stealing second.

Hoover retaliated in the fourth with consecutive doubles by David Berkey and Adam Wiggins. With one out, Mickey Moreno walked and advanced to third on Berkey’s shot to center field. Both runners scored when Wiggins pulled Scott Warr’s two-and-one pitch down the left-field line.

The Tornadoes, though, still had plenty of chances in the inning to increase their advantage. Designated-hitter Bryan Day walked and Eric Asselin singled to load the bases. But Denne struck out and Reggie Mercado flied out to center.

Hoover’s lead was short-lived, however, as Saugus (7-2-1) scored two runs in the fourth inning to take the lead, 3-2.

In the inning, Roger Salkeld was safe at first when his grounder to third went through the legs of Jose Robles. Warr walked and Jeff Albert, pinch-hitting for Trevor Rice, bunted for a single to load the bases. Salkeld scored on a fielder’s choice and Warr scored on Burges’ sacrifice fly.

Hoover (7-1) tied the score, 3-3, when Moreno hit homered to right.

“You can’t get any better ballgame than that,” Hoover Coach Bob Cooper said. “It’s a terrible way to lose a ballgame but a great way to win one.”