Story posted Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Exciting Moments In DP Little League Tourney
By DWIGHT ESAU Journal Sports
Last week's Central/Devon-Higgins Little League baseball tournaments had everything – from an amazingly well played 3-2 win in one championship game, to 19-5 and 12-2 blowouts in two other games.
In between, there was a lot of excellent preparation for the two leagues' all-star teams that will play in District 10 Williamsport tournaments and a local invitational tournament starting next week.
Three Central Little League house teams won championships in the 11-12, 9-10, and 7-8 divisions last week in regular-season ending tournaments. A total of 15 teams participated in the week-long events.
*In the 11-12 Division, the Central Rays bounced back from a loss to Devon Higgins 1 last Thursday to post a 12-2 victory over Devon Higgins 2 for the championship.
*In the 9-10 year old Division, the Raptors went undefeated and were dominant, posting a 19-5 win over the Defenders for the Division title. The Defenders qualified to play the Raptors by defeating the Sidewinders, 7-6, in one of the most dramatic games of the week. Joey Bellizi and Alisa Fallon of the Sidewinders walloped doubles to tie the score in the top half of the final inning, but then Terry Hadfield of the Defenders took over the game. As a pitcher, he put the tag on as Sidewinder runner tryng to steal home for a possible go-ahead run in the top of the last inning, and then he got the game-winning hit for the Defenders in the bottom half of the inning.
"That game was one of the most dramatic I've ever seen at this level in our league," said Tom Ure, one of the Sidewinder coaches. "Those Raptors had more big hitters than anyone, and they were just too good for everyone."
*In the 7-8 Division, the Lugnuts and Hooks played an "amazingly well played game," according to Ure, with the Lugnuts squeaking out a 3-2 win in the final inning. "There was just great defense all around, and not many base hits against coach pitching," he said.
With the game tied in the sixth and final inning, the Lugnuts loaded the bases and then a final base hit brought the winning run home.
Two Central 11-12 and 9-10 all-star teams begin play in two District 10 tournaments on July 6-7.
Two Central 7-8 teams will play host to a five or six-team invitational tournament on Riddel Field 2 starting this Sunday, July 5, and continuing in round-robin fashion until July 12.
Speak Out!
Comments are edited first by Journal staff before running in print and appearing online.