FARMINGTON – A three-run first inning would prove to be all the offense the NW 509 Stars would need Tuesday night to win their second round clash over the Albuquerque Baseball Academy at Ricketts Park in the 2026 Connie Mack World Series.
The win propels the Seattle-based NW 509 Stars into a third round, championship bracket showdown Wednesday night against the Dulins Dodgers Americans, who along with Dallas’ D-Bat squad, are the only teams in the tournament with wins in each of their first two games in bracket play.
The Stars sent nine batters to the plate in the home half of the first inning, scoring three times. Caden Andreas opened the scoring after a pair of ABA errors drove him home after leading off the game with a single. Jackson Mott and Connor Moffitt also scored in the opening frame.
Mott reached base safely on a fielders choice before being driven in by Derrek Roe. Moffitt walked in thanks to a bases-loaded free pass to Marshall Tomlinson issued by ABA starting pitcher Matthew Cook.
Despite the early offense, the Albuquerque Baseball Academy settled down, both on the hill and in the field, retiring 15 of the next 17 Stars batters. Cook threw four innings from the mound, striking out four and walking four while surrendering four base hits.
The ABA stormed back in the top half of the fifth inning. A leadoff walk to Anthony Knoll resulted in a run after Wyatt Tinker’s fielders choice scored him from third. Later in the frame, Tinker reached home after a fielding error by Stars second baseman Tanner Davis.
That run forced the Stars to make a change on the mound, with starting pitcher Dylan Croall being replaced by Ryan McMillin, who ended the ABA rally when Uriel Castro bounced out to the mound.
Despite being held to just four hits on the night, the ABA had opportunities on offense. They finished the game with 11 runners left on base, including a pair of runners in both the sixth and seventh innings.
In the sixth, ABA had runners on second and third with two out before Dean Ellison bounced out to shortstop.
With one more chance to tie the game, ABA had runners on second and third with two out in the top of the seventh inning when Kade Aragon struck out to preserve the Stars win.
The Albuquerque Baseball Academy was hoping to create some magic Tuesday night. A win over the NW 509 Stars would have marked the first time in more than a quarter-century a team representing the state of New Mexico had won each of their first two championship bracket games in the CMWS.
The ABA will face elimination at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Ricketts Park when they face Oklahoma-based Brand of Athletes.