HAMMONTON - Northfield's Bryan Foreman capped a dramatic game and spoiled Linwood's bid for a fifth straight District 16 Little League baseball title Tuesday night.
Foreman knocked in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Northfield a 7-6 win in the 11-12-year old baseball championship at Hammonton Lake Park.
After seven and a half back-and-forth innings that had five lead changes, Northfield (4-0) loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Foreman came to the plate and knocked a line drive into right field that fell into and quickly out of the Linwood right fielder's glove to score Michael Toner and end the game.
"I was saying to myself, 'Please drop,' " Foreman said. "I thought he was going to catch it, but then I heard everyone cheer and I knew he dropped it."
Northfield fell twice to Linwood in last season's district tournament, including 11-10 in the finals. Northfield beat Linwood 10-1 on July 1.
"Linwood has been the cream of the crop for the past three years," Northfield coach Dennis Foreman said. "To be honest, I'm relieved to be on to the next round."
Both teams had numerous chances to end the game. Northfield loaded the bases with only one out in the bottom of the sixth inning with the game tied at 5-5.
Things were looking grim for Linwood (6-2) until Joe Laffy, who was pitching, got out of the jam by forcing out Cody Sadremelli and Matt Thomas, two of Northfield's best hitters.
Linwood scored a run in the top of the seventh inning to go ahead 6-5 when Laffy doubled to right field to score Jared Montgomery, who reached base on a double of his own.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Linwood looked to have the game won when R.J. D'Amico hit a pop up to shallow right field.
Linwood second baseman Sam Jackson and Montgomery, who was in right field, both went to play the ball.
Montgomery tried to call Jackson off the play but neither came up with the catch. That allowed Nick Drobonick to score from third to tie the game at 6-6.
Drobonick finished 4-for-4 with two runs scored and a double.
Linwood failed to score another run in the top of the eighth as Drobonick allowed only one runner to reach base. Drobonick got the win with three strikeouts in relief. D'Amico pitched the first six innings for Northfield, striking out four.
Kyle Gerace was 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Linwood, and Jack O'Connell was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Montgomery got the loss for Linwood, which used six pitchers in the game.
"We ran out of pitchers," Linwood coach Dave Geiger said. "The problem was that we came through the losers' bracket. When you do that, you eat up your pitching. We got into this game, and we were just kind of piecing it together."
Northfield advances to the Section 4 tournament, which begins Sunday in Margate at 5 p.m.
Linwood 001 301 10 - 6 8 1
Northfield 020 120 11 - 7 14 4
WP-Drobonick. LP-Montgomery.