CRESSONA - Cressona's game plan going into Saturday's District 24 Little League 11-12-year-old quarterfinal against Pine Grove/Tremont was to jump out early.
Ben Kramer didn't waste any time doing just that.
Kramer led off the game by hammering a double to left-center field. He scored a few pitches later on Austin Clauser's single to center field and Cressona was off and running.
Kramer finished 4-for-4 and hit for the cycle as Cressona rolled to a 13-0, four-inning victory over Pine Grove/Tremont.
"You go into the games with teams not in your pool, you really don't know a whole lot about them," Cressona manager Jeff Smith said.
"I think they came into it relaxed, and tried to get their mindset in the last few days, hitting line drives rather than trying to play home run derby."
Cressona scored in every inning, tallying three runs in the second, seven in the third and two in the fourth.
Kramer slammed a two-run homer to left-center field in the second inning to extend Cressona's lead to 3-0. Riley Carroll added an RBI single to center field to put Cressona ahead 4-0.
The early lead was plenty for Cressona pitcher Nate Nabholz, who allowed just one hit and struck out three. The right-hander faced just 12 batters.
"Nate was throwing a tremendous game. If he needed to go 85 pitches, we would have done that, but we were looking at 50," Smith said. "He was around the strike zone; he was throwing well. As the game went on, he threw even better."
During the top of the third inning, Dylan Reber, Bailey Reichert and Kramer all singled. With the bases loaded for Cressona, Austin Clauser crushed a three-run double to up Cressona's lead to 7-0.
Hunter Luckenbill hit a single to center to bring in Clauser, and Luke Smith followed with a single to score Luckenbill. Anthony Snesavage capped the seven-run outburst with a two-run home run to center.
This particular Cressona group of all-stars has done well in the past few years. As 9-year-olds, they went undefeated in minor league tournaments. They won the District 24 title as 10-year-olds and as 11-year-olds, and they are hoping this year turns out the same way.
"This is the last year all these kids will play together," Smith said. "Next year some will go to Teener league, some will play Junior Legion and some will go to a travel team. We tell them to just enjoy it, because you're going to remember your teammates more than you remember the details of the game.
"It's tough on a 12-year-old. We try to keep them focused on playing baseball and having fun."
Cressona stayed focused and was able to take a 13-0 lead in the fourth inning. Kramer drove a triple and Clauser had an infield single to score Kramer. Luckenbill plated Clauser with an RBI double.
Stephanie Boyer had Pine Grove/Tremont's lone hit with an infield single in the second inning.
"Coming into today I thought we had a decent hitting attack," Pine Grove/Tremont manager Chris Culbert said. "We put the ball in play, but we didn't really hit it very hard."
This was the first time that Pine Grove/Tremont has made it to the District 24 playoffs, and it was determined to make the most of it.
"These guys wanted to be here," Culbert said. "They practice hard everyday and they game with a good game plan, but we were just out classed today. They gave it their all and that's all I can ask of them."
Millersburg 4 Ashland 1
MILLERSBURG - Zack Stokes hit a home run in the fourth inning, but it wasn't enough as Millersburg beat Ashland in a quarterfinal matchup.
Stokes finished with two hits for Ashland, while teammates Jaden Leiby and Mitchell Wagner collected a hit apiece.
Millersburg used a three-run inning to take control, with Horchler hitting a home run.
Game Summary