MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL -- Harrisburg had a rough opening day at the 2012 Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) World Series in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.
Harrisburg's senior division (ages 16-18) squad lost 2-1 to Arizona RBI on Thursday; while Venice Boys & Girls Club RBI defeated Harrisburg 6-1 in the junior division (13-15). The senior team later beat Jackie Robinson (Jersey City) RBI, 5-1.
Harrisburg southpaw Noah Spangler tossed a complete game against Jersey City, allowing one run (unearned) and fanning six across seven innings of work to earn the win. Spangler scattered five hits and did not walk a batter. Harrisburg was led by catcher Colby Conway, who went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI and outfielder Shawn Harrison, who went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
Arizona outfielder Cipriano Lucero, of Phoenix, AZ, drove in the winning run on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 7th inning in the senior division's opening game.
Harrisburg infielder Jayraun Smith, from Steelton, drove in the game's first run on a one-out single in the fifth. It was Harrisburg's last hit of the game; the team finished with only three hits.
Venice starting pitcher Dalton Blumenfeld (1-0) allowed just three singles and struck out five over six innings to earn the win in the junior division game. Blumenfield walked one in the 65-pitch outing.
Harrisburg RBI infielder Deric Ellerman got his team on the board in the final inning; a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the seventh to score fellow infielder Trevor Dolin. Ellerman's walk was Harrisburg's fifth of the inning.
Video used in this story is courtesy of Major League Baseball.
