Ottumwa, Iowa — Who would have imagined that Adam Porter, inserted into right field to start the sixth inning, would produce the game's defining play just moments later?

But that's exactly what Porter did Tuesday night, gunning down Waterford's Anthony Tonucci at the plate to complete a game-changing double play that helped Sarasota (Fla.) hold off Waterford 5-3, ending a dream summer in the elimination round of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series.

"Adam made a great throw to save the game right there," Sarasota manager Rich Held said. "It's all about the team at this level. You need every member of the team to contribute. If you don't get that, you're not going to win anything."

It allowed the Southeast regional champions to hold off Waterford and advance to Wednesday's semifinals against unbeaten Pearl City (Hawaii).

Waterford, which almost rallied from an early 5-0 deficit, finished its memorable week 3-2.

"If these guys want to do this again with me next year, hopefully we'll go a little bit further," said Waterford manager Dave Laffey, noting the loss brought an end to the deepest postseason run in his 15 years with the Babe Ruth program. "These guys gave me all they had. Sarasota made the big plays to win it and we didn't."

Waterford, which trailed 5-2 entering the sixth, used hits by Ryan O'Connell and Tonucci, a walk to Matt Sanford and an error to score a run and put the tying run at second with no outs.

That's when Trey Brennan hit a fly ball to right that appeared to be deep enough to score Waterford's fourth run and put the tying run at third with one out. Instead, Porter fired a strike to the plate that allowed Sarasota catcher John Schroeder to tag Tonucci with the second out of the inning.

"I was kind of surprised I got the call to go into right at the start of the inning," Porter said. "I saw the kid going on that fly ball and I didn't want to give up another run.

"I've never done anything like that before. I've made a catch before, but I've never thrown a guy out at home."

After getting that assist from Porter, relief pitcher Gabe Copeland ended the sixth inning picking off Brennan at second base. The drama wasn't done, however, Ben Jerome led off the Waterford seventh with a single and Ryan Bakken walked to put the tying runners on base.

But Copeland didn't give in, striking out Jared Burrows, getting Luke Sokolski on a pop up to third base and then winning a battle against O'Connell, who had hit a grand slam 24 hours earlier to help rally Waterford past West Fargo (N.D.).

"I wasn't really thinking at that point. I was just working a fast speed," Copeland said. "I was just trying to throw strikes and let me defense work for me."

Brennan and O'Connell finished with two hits apiece for Waterford.

Sarasota will get a second look at Pearl City in a three-day span. Hawaii clinched a perfect run through the National Division on Monday holding off Sarasota 3-2 stranding the tying run on third base in the seventh.