Published: 6/19/2019 9:27:50 PM
Modified: 6/19/2019 9:27:41 PM
ORANGE — Orange Legion outlasted Dick’s Auto, 7-5, to win the Orange Little League championship at Muzzey Field on Wednesday.
The victory for Orange Legion gave them a 2-1 win in the best-of-three series.
Gavin Young pitched his way to the victory on the mound with four strikeouts. It was Young’s first year pitching.
“I am throwing strikes a lot,” Young said. “I have improved by throwing faster. It feels great.”
Jayden Delgado, the season MVP for Orange Legion (7-8), nailed down the save with three strikeouts in the bottom of the sixth.
Young was the recipient of the Most Improved Award for Orange Legion.
Sam Connors pitched into the fifth inning for Dick’s Auto, recording 10 strikeouts in his outing. Dick’s Auto (10-7) made a big jump compared to previous seasons.
“The last two years I have played for this team we won one game and lost 15 each season,” Connors said. “That wasn’t the best.”
Connors had a no-hitter and a complete game win during his MVP season.
“I don’t know, some games I was playing pretty well,” Connors said. “I’ll probably play baseball next year for the middle school.”
Luan Lopez won the Most Improved Award for Dick’s Auto. Aiden Britt pitched in relief of Connors, striking out three.
Britt had a single in the fifth for Dick's Auto. Luke Connors brought him home with a double to make the score 6-5 going into the sixth.
Gavin’s Young RBI groundout gave Orange Legion an important insurance run in the sixth inning.
Delgado and Dylan Young singled to open the fifth. Zak Cortright then singled bringing home both runners to give Orange Legion a 6-4 lead.
Delgado led off the game with an inside-the-park home run for Orange Legion.
Gavin Young followed with a 1-2-3 inning on the mound for Orange Legion with two strikeouts.
Lopez turned a double play for Dick's Auto in the top of the second, catching a liner and throwing to first catch a runner off the bag.
Wyatt Whitman's RBI groundout in the top of the second tied the game for Dick's Auto. Whitman later tripled in the fourth.
Pat Gillespie singled and stole a bag for Orange Legion in the top of the third. Gillespie added another hit with another stolen base in the sixth.
Gillespie's grounder in the fourth scored two runs for Orange Legion. Gillespie later scored on a pass ball to give Orange Legion a 4-1 lead after four innings.
Luke Connors had an immediate answer for Dick's Auto with an inside the park home run to cut the led to 4-2.
Lopez's grounder scored a run bringing the deficit down to a run. Lopez later scored on an infield single by Eujeyn Smith that tied the game 4-4.
The game concluded the 60th season of Orange Little League.