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Boyertown Midget Baseball League

Boyertown Midget Baseball League

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4

Jul, 2023

Black Bears State Runner-Up!

The Black Bears came up just short of winning the Cal Ripken Southeast PA State title, falling in the championship game to Springfield 11-6. Their runner-up performance earned them an at-large bid to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament July 13-17 in Queensbury, NY.

The team began the tournament with a 3-0 run through pool play, earning themselves the top seed in their pool and a first round playoff bye. Pool play game 1 was a matchup against the Springfield Blue Devils. The game was an exciting pitching duel. The Black Bears overcame a early Springfield lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead, which turned out to be the final score. Will S lead Boyertown hitters, going 2-2. Sam S and Ryan W teamed up on the mound for the Black Bears, scattering three hits over six Innings while striking out eight. Pool play game 2 was against Chichester and was all Black Bears from the beginning. They ended up winning 16-1 in a mercy rule-shortened three innings. The Black Bears amassed 12 hits in the game, with five Black Bear hitters recording a pair of hits each (Ryan W, Austin B, Sam S, Will S, and Alexander F). Boyertown pitching was also dominant with Austin B holding Chichester to one hit over 2 2/3 while striking out three. Liam H entered in the top of the third to record the last out of the inning and put Boyertown in a position to end the game early. Pool play game 3 was against the Montgomery Spartans and was a slugfest. The Spartans jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, only to have the Black Bears respond with nine runs of their own in the bottom of the first. In the end, the Black Bears emerged victorious 13-8. Ryan W, Austin B, Jacen F, and Danny H each had two hits for Boyertown.

Fresh off a dominant run in their final two pool play games, the Black Bears entered the state quarterfinal game against familiar opponent the Quakertown Panthers, whom they had faced and beaten 10-3 in the District 6 playoffs. The state playoff matchup had a similar outcome, this time with the Black Bears emerging victorious 14-2. The Panthers got on the board first, scoring a run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. The Black Bears offense exploded in the bottom of the second when the first six batters all singled (Will S, Jacen F, Owen B, Liam H, Danny H, and Cole C), scoring five runs. After holding Quakertown scoreless in the top of the third, the Black Bears offense fired right back up again, scoring another eight runs in the bottom of the third on their way to a mercy rule-shortened four-inning victory. Will S, Jacen F, Danny H, and Cole C each had two hits for Boyertown, and Austin B went the distance on the mound, scattering three hits over four Innings while striking out four.

The state semifinal game featured a match-up against the 2022 11U PA State Champion Pennsbury, who had been dominating opponents so far through the 2023 tournament. Black Bears pitcher Ryan W hurled a masterpiece, holding Pennsbury's potent offense to two hits and no runs over a six-inning complete-game gem. The Black Bears offense, meanwhile, was opportunistic. They got on the board first in the top of the second when Will S, Owen B, and Liam H all walked to load the bases with one out. Danny H put the ball in play and earned himself an RBI, putting the Black Bears up 1-0. They would increase their advantage in the top of the third when Austin B led off with a line drive single to center. Two batters later, Connor W hit his own line drive single to center, advancing Austin to third. After Connor stole second, Will S hit a two-RBI single to right to put the Black Bears ahead 3-0 in what turned out to be the final score. Will S came up big at the plate for the Black Bears in the semi-final game, combining his two-RBI hit with two walks and scoring once.

The championship game was a rematch against pool play opponent Springfield. The game was close for the first three innings, with Boyertown leading 3-2 after one and 6-5 after three. Unfortunately, Springfield exploded for six runs in the top of the fourth to take a commanding 11-6 lead. They held on to win the state championship by that same tally. Jacen F led Black Bear hitters in the championship game, going 3-3 with three RBI.

Contact

Boyertown Midget Baseball League
PO Box 34 
Boyertown, Pennsylvania 19512

Email: [email protected]

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