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NEW BEDFORD - When two talented, balanced teams like the New Bedford and Foxboro Legion teams meet, it is often the little things that's make the biggest difference.

Getting a bunt down.

A deep fly dropping inches fair or foul.

The miniscule differences between strike three and ball four.

On Thursday night, all of those small things, those tiny breaks, went against Foxboro as Post 93 fell to New Bedford 6-5, eliminating Foxboro from the Legion playoffs. Foxboro won its first two games in the double-elimination bracket, meaning New Bedford had to beat Post 93 twice in two days in order to advance. But New Bedford was up to the challenge, beating Foxboro by one run in each game to advance to the State Tournament, which starts Saturday in Acushnet.

"The kids played hard, they ran into some good pitching," Foxboro coach Bill Travers said.

After the teams traded scoreless frames in the first and second innings Foxboro took the lead in the top of the third with a three-run rally. Jimmy Gilmore was hit by a pitch with one out but was erased by a Joe Clagg fielder's choice as Foxboro had one on and two out. Nick Thrasher followed with a long single to right field off New Bedford starter Alex Aguila to move Clagg to third, and Mike Farrell answered with a sharply-hit double down the third base line. Clagg easily scored and Thrasher, off on contact, came around to score when the left fielder bobbled the ball, Foxboro taking a 2-0 lead. Billy McGee continued the rally with a single to left field as Foxboro took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the third.

But New Bedford answered with a two-out rally of its own. After Foxboro starter Brian Swanton picked up two quick outs at the bottom of the New Bedford order Aaron Stauffer (3-for-5) got things started with a single into right-center. Josh Messier followed with a single of his own before Mike Pratt got New Beford on the board with an RBI-single, cutting the lead to 3-1.

And the New Bedford bats kept swinging.

On a full count Frank Vilacha hit a double into right-center field, scoring both runners who were off with the pitch as New Bedford tied the game. They then took the lead on a single up the middle by Dennis Medeiros before Swanton finally escaped the inning.

"We thought the big inning was when we scored the three, if we could hold them. We got two quick outs but then they got the four runs. That jumped us back after the good start," Travers said.

Foxboro responded with two more in the top of the fourth to take the lead again thanks to some shoddy defense. After Matt Cote hit a two-out single Gilmore hit a sinking liner into centerfield. After a missed sliding catch the centerfielder threw wildly towards third, allowing Cote to score easily and Gilmore to take second. Then Clagg popped to second, but the second baseman dropped the ball allowing Gilmore to score the go-ahead run.

But New Bedford would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth off of Farrell, pitching his second inning in relief of Swanton. Stauffer started the inning with a leadoff double and Messier brought him home with a single, tying the game. Farrell eventually loaded the bases with two outs and his 3-1 pitch to Ryan Medeiros missed the plate, bringing in what would prove to be the winning run.

Foxboro put runners on base in the following innings but couldn't get the big hit off reliever Aaron Messier, who shut Post 93 out for 42/3 while striking out nine. "We had a lot of runners," Travers said. "We've been scuffling, outside of the last Holbrook game we have not been swinging really well."

Foxboro got one last chance in the top of the ninth after a throwing error by the shortstop put Farrell on first with no outs. McGee attempted a bunt but Messier threw Farrell out at second. After a near double play that left McGee at second the third baseman took third on a wild pitch, but Messier struck Dan Gad out on an attempted check swing to end the game.

"I was just looking to score a run any way I could. It's hard to give up a bunt out when you're struggling but we had to try," Travers said.

"That guy just shut us down. He was a really good pitcher."