The Boyertown 9U Advanced Play Team completed a clean sweep of the three Cal Ripken District 6 playoff games they played, taking the the championship and advancing to States.

Game one of the double elimination playoff was a matchup against Lehigh Valley. The Bears used the pitching trio of Tyler D, Bryce M, and Dylan N to hurl a 5-hit shutout. The team started the game with back-to-back singles by Bryce M and Dylan N, the latter scoring Bryce. Otto K followed up two batters later with an RBI double to put Boyertown up 2-0. They would add a run in the top of the third after a lead-off double by Dylan N and an RBI groundout by Adam M. They doubled their advantage with a 3-run fourth, where Brecken T (lead-off single), Cole C (walk) and Bryce M (bunt single) worked to load the bases for a bases-clearing triple off of the hot bat of Dylan N. Dylan N finished his banner day with a 4-RBI 3-3 performance at the plate, falling a home run short of the cycle. He also closed the game on the mound, striking out the side to secure the win.

Game two featured a matchup against host Quakertown, a game Boyertown would win with a convincing 8-1 score. The Bears took an early lead in the bottom of the first and then methodically added to it over the next three innings until they had a seemingly insurmountable 8-0 lead. Quakertown could only manage one run in the top of the sixth, after the game was already out of reach. The Bears' first run came courtesy of a walk to Dylan N, who stole second and then advanced to third and scored on successive wild pitches. They added two in the second when Trevor F and Carter P led off the inning with back-to-back singles, the latter scoring Trevor. Quakertown would walk the bases loaded and then walk in Boyertown's second run of the inning, putting the Bears ahead 3-0. They would add two more in the bottom of the third to push their lead to 5-0. The bottom of the fourth began with a Zane E single. After the next two batters were out on a strikeout and groundout, Dylan N launched a 3-1 pitch over the left field fence. They would add a third run when a Tyler D single scored Adam M. The Bears used a pitch-by-committee approach to 5-hit Quakertown, with Tyler D, Zane E, Dylan N, and Adam M all contributing. Carter P had a two-hit game for Boyertown.

By virtue of their first two wins, the Bears earned the privilege of waiting for the two teams they defeated to play each other in a loser's bracket elimination game. Lehigh Valley emerged victorious from that contest, setting up the championship game matchup. The Bears jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first and Lehigh Valley answered with a run in the top of the second. Boyertown added two more in the bottom of the second, after a lead-off walk by Zane E, a single by Cole C, an RBI single by Bryce M, and an RBI double by Adam M. Brecken T contributed an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third to put the Bears ahead 5-1. Lehigh Valley would add a run in the fourth and two runs in the top of the sixth to make the game interesting. In fact, they had the tying run on first with only one out, but Boyertown brought in tournament hero Dylan N, who recorded the last two outs to cement the victory and the district championship.

Bear marks:

• The Bears outscored their opponents 19-5 in the tournament
• The Bears will host 9U Ripken States July 1-5 at Boyertown Park