Opening Inning Surge
Darien’s Little League squad opened the Metro Region tournament with an 8‑2 defeat at the hands of Bayonne Central. The game began with Bayonne striking first, plating three runs in the opening frame after an early infield miscue and an RBI single from Jett Bridges.
Darien answered in the third inning, cutting the margin to 4‑2 when Luca Hidaka delivered an RBI single that narrowed the gap.
Pitching Duels and Late Rally
Bayonne’s starter Chase Klimkowski was dominant early, fanning five of the first six batters he faced, though a wild pitch in the second allowed a run to score. Reliever Mason Rincon then shut the door, tossing four scoreless innings and striking out four batters.
The offensive onslaught continued as Bridges added an RBI double in the sixth before capping the rally with a two‑run single, pushing Bayonne’s lead to its final margin.
Manager Joe Paccione admitted the early fielding errors were uncharacteristic, but said the team remains focused on bouncing back after past district and sectional setbacks.
The focus now shifts to an elimination clash with Rhode Island champion Lincoln on Sunday evening, a game that could keep Darien’s tournament hopes alive.