ORWIGSBURG — The Fourth of July may have come and gone, but Ryan Caulfield still brought fireworks to Cressona’s winner-take-all matchup Friday against Orwigsburg.
Caulfield’s third-inning, three-run homer to left paced Cressona’s potent offense, as it held off Orwigsburg for an 11-6 victory.
The win clinched Pool 1 for Cressona, which will host Pool 3 runner-up Pine Grove at 5:30 p.m. today in the District 24 Little League 11-12-year-old quarterfinals.
As the Pool 1 runner-up, Orwigsburg will face Pool 3 champion Saint Clair/Port Carbon/New Philadelphia in New Philadelphia at 5:30 p.m. today.
“Playing Orwigsburg is always fun because all these kids know each other,” Cressona manager Steve Cryts said. “There’s a healthy rivalry between our teams, and I’m happy to come away with the win.”
Cressona and Orwigsburg used five pitchers apiece in the high-scoring contest that began Thursday in the rain.
The game was called due to inclement weather with Orwigsburg up 1-0 in the top of the second with a runner on first base.
Peyton Hashin’s bases-loaded walk gave Orwigsburg its early lead heading into Friday.
Cressona knotted it 1-1 when Skyler Devitt grounded into a fielder’s choice that plated Brody Robinson.
Cressona then took the lead with a four-run third inning, highlighted by Caulfield’s three-run shot.
Keegan Brennan got things going for Cressona with a one-out single, and Keenan Cryts took his base after being hit by a pitch.
Robinson gave his team a 2-1 lead with an RBI single to center, and Caulfield made it 5-1 with his big homer.
“That’s a kid that every time he’s at bat, it’s always in my mind that he could do something like that,” Cryts said of Caulfield’s home run. “He hits for power and he’s a great bat to have in our lineup.”
Orwigsburg got a run back in the bottom of the third when Preston Sincavage reached second base on an infield error, went to third on a Billy Gerlott single and scored on another infield error.
Cressona responded with its second four-run outburst of the game to go up 9-2 in the fourth.
Cody Miller drew a leadoff walk, Kegan Hertz singled, and Brennan loaded the bases with another walk.
Cryts hit an RBI single to center, Robinson notched another RBI on a fielder’s choice and Brennan and Robinson later scored on an infield error.
Robinson finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored for Cressona.
“He’s a kid who always comes to play,” Cryts said. “He’s a spark plug with the potential to rip it wide open.”
Orwigsburg answered with a four-run fourth inning of its own that cut Cressona’s lead to three.
Brady Bedway reached first on a fielder’s choice with two outs, while Lorenzo Valenti walked and Anthony Zeplin loaded the bases after a catcher’s interference call.
Orwigsburg proceeded to score three runs on bases-loaded walks and another courtesy of an RBI single from Alex Tidmore that made it a 9-6 ballgame.
After both teams cruised through the fifth, Cressona added two insurance runs on Gavin Bartholomew’s two-run single in the sixth.
Orwigsburg’s last chance for a comeback started when Gerlott drew a one-out walk and reached third on a single by Tidmore.
Brennan, Cressona’s fifth pitcher of the game, got the next batter to pop out to the shortstop and struck out the final batter to make his team Pool 1 champions.
Brennan gave up two hits, striking out one and walking one, over 2.1 scoreless innings for Cressona.
“Every kid on this team has pitched at some point in the season, so I think a game like this shows our depth at pitching,” Cryts said. “They all kept their head and kept their composure.”
Despite the loss, Orwigsburg manager Brandon Steely said he has confidence that his team will make some noise in the playoffs.
“These guys are a really loose, fun group and nothing really bothers them,” Steely said. “They’re fighters who are gonna keep on fighting tomorrow, and maybe we’ll see Cressona in the finals.”
Game Summary
Cressona (4-0) 014 402 — 11 10 2
Orwigsburg (3-1) 101 400 — 6 6 2
Cryts, Bartholomew (2), Baker (3), Hertz (4), Brennan (4) and Robinson; Hashin, Eichert (3), DaSilva (4), Tidmore (5), Gerlott (6) and Sincavage. W — Bartholomew. L — Eichert.
HITS: Cressona — Hertz 2, Brennan, Cryts 2, Robinson, Caulfield, Baker 2, Bartholomew. Orwigsburg — Gerlott 2, Tidmore 2, Griffith, DaSilva.
2B — Cryts, Baker, Gerlott. HR — Caulfield.