Brindley forces showdown.

Byline: Kevin O'Malley

WORCESTER - Brindley Foundations salvaged the second game of the Paul N. Johnson Senior Babe Ruth championship series doubleheader against Northboro at Tivnan Field yesterday to force a third and deciding game today.

Joey Piscitelli will oppose Northboro ace Michael Bonner at 10 a.m. at Tivnan Field.

With a win today, Brindley will reclaim the championship it won in both 2004 and 2005. City Sporting Goods/Vernon Hill took the championship last year, while Northboro is hoping to win its first championship.

Northboro won the first game, 8-4, with Dave Armanini earning the victory, allowing only two hits and four walks over six innings of work.

Matt Hagen, Quinn Turner and James Pini all had multiple hits for Northboro as it peppered 11 singles off Brindley.

Brindley came back to take a 10-8 victory in the second game, barely holding on after taking a 10-3 lead into the bottom of the fifth.

"We didn't want to go home. We played hard all season long, and we just didn't want to go home today," Brindley coach Red Paquette said. "Good thing we had that seven-run lead because we needed it."

With its back against the wall after dropping the first game, Brindley wasted no time taking control in the second game.

Brindley took a three-run lead in the top of the first, as Jarred Stuczynski, Chad Kasik, Dan Perry and Matt Cranham all had hits off Northboro starter Graham Turner.

"The kids were patient in the second game," Paquette said. "I told them, be patient, swing at strikes. We had to do everything we could to score as many runs as we could. Northboro is a good team. They battled back. They are scrappy."

Andrew Saad scored in the fourth to push the lead to 4-0 before Northboro finally got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the inning as Turner helped himself with a two-run single.

Brindley answered with a six spot in the top of the fifth, taking advantage of two errors and a pair of walks. Perry and Matt Howard each had two-run doubles during the rally.

Turner finished with two hits and four RBIs for Northboro, adding a two-run single in the sixth to lead a five-run rally.

"They didn't give up. We got some hits. We can build off that," Northboro coach Phil Wright said. "I wasn't looking forward to (coming back today) after the first game. They didn't really hit the heck out of the ball, but they got some timely hits when they needed them."

Kasik came in to close the door on Northboro, allowing just one hit over the final two innings of the game.

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Brindley Foundation's Joey Piscitelli dives back to first safely during a pickoff attempt.

PHOTOG: T&G Staff/BETTY JENEWIN