The Boyertown Black Bears (12U) and the Boyertown 11U Team completed a clean home team sweep of the Boyertown Battle of the Bats tournament this weekend! The Black Bears went 4-0 on the weekend, beating Central Perk Gold 12U in the championship game to win the 12U bracket.

The Black Bears played their first pool play game against the Twin Valley Raiders, coming out on top 13-0 . Four Black Bears had multi-hit games (Ryan W, Connor W, Will S, and Danny H), together driving in 7 of the team's 13 runs. Sam S contributed to the scoring, stroking a lead off solo home run in the top of the sixth.  Connor W and Alexander F shared the pitching duties, holding Twin Valley to two total hits while striking out five. The Black Bears continued their winning ways in pool play game 2 against the Coventry River Cats, winning 6-3. Austin B went 2-2 with a walk, scoring twice. Ryan W and Sam S teamed up on the bump to hold Coventry to three total hits.

The Black Bears entered the playoffs as the 1 seed from the American Division, drawing a matchup against the American Division 2-seed Valley Heat. The Heat jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Undaunted, the Black Bears hitters led off the bottom of the first with three straight singles (Ryan W, Austin B, and Sam S). A sacrifice fly by Connor W pulled the Black Bears within one, setting up an RBI single by Jacen F to tie the game 3-3. The two teams traded a pair of scoreless half innings before the Heat pushed another run across to take a 4-3 lead In the top of the fourth. The Black Bears again responded, this time due to an Alexander F one-out single that eventually led to him scoring on a bases-loaded walk. In the top of the fifth, the Heat once again pulled ahead, scoring two runs and taking a 6-4 lead. Once again the Black Bears responded, this time taking the lead. Owen B got things started when he was hit by a pitch with 1 out. Jacen F followed with a single to put two on with still only 1 out. Will S effectively executed a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position. After an Alexander F walk, Danny H tied things up by hitting an RBI single, with two additional runs scoring on an error. Ryan W completed the coring with an RBI single, 8-6 Black Bears. Ryan then followed the go-ahead inning with a shutdown 1-2-3 inning from the mound to secure the victory and advance the team to the championship game. Ryan W, Austin B, and Jacen F all had two hits for the Black Bears, and Austin B, Alexander F, and Ryan W shared the pitching duties.

The championship game pitted the pool play champion from the American Division, the Black Bears, against the pool play champion from the National Division, Central Perk Gold. This game also started out close, with the Black Bears striking first in the top of the first inning. Austin B scored the first run, reaching base on a line drive single and then scoring on a Connor W hard ground ball up the middle. Central Perk answered with two runs in the bottom of the first on back-to-back solo home runs to take a brief 2-1 lead. The resilient Black Bears would not be held down. Will S led off the top of the second with a walk, Danny H dropped a bunt single to advance Will to third, and Cole C scored him on an RBI groundout - small ball at its finest! Black Bear pitcher Connor W held Central Perk scoreless in the bottom of the second, giving the Black Bear offense an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the third. Sam S started the inning with a lead-off single, eventually scoring on a bases-loaded walk and putting the Black Bears ahead 3-2. Neither team would score again until the top of the fifth inning when Connor W reached base on a single and scored on a Jacen F double. Jacen later scored on an Alexander F single, putting the Black Bears up 5-2. That lead turned out to be enough to secure the win, despite Central Perk clawing back one run in the bottom of the sixth. Sam and Connor W both had a multi-hit game for the Black Bears. Connor W, Sam S, and Ryan W teamed up on the hill to keep the Central Perk bats at bay and earn the championship victory.