Current Conditions
52 ° Partly Cloudy

RiverDogs win Little League championship

Saturday July 21, 2012 | By:Robert Lorenz | Sports

WINNING ROWS –– Pictured are the RiverDogs, front row, from left: Caleb Edbauer, Ty Dash, Ben Miller, Stephen Przybyl, Jay Garlock and Mitchell Popovski. Middle row: Andrew Walker, Aaron Keyser, Alex Elkins, Cody Wells, Austin Lux, Domenick Sicignano, Joseph Bugary, Matt Warner and Nick Pfarner. Back row: Head Coach Darren Wells and assistant coaches Tony Dash, Greg Keyser, and Joel Lux. Photos by Robert Lorenz.

SECOND PLACE –– The RockHounds came in second. Pictured, from left, front row: Rider Hoffman, Billy Krieger, Cameron Lynch, Conner Judd and Garon Holland. Back row: Wes Meade, Travis Mansfield, Coach Melanie Judd, Robbie Smith II, Coach Jim Mansfield, Rhett “Wheels” Bunch, Travis Kohl, and Dustin Folts. Missing from photo: Coach Jennifer Krieger, Cole Mulligan, Aaron Namlik and Trinity Schweickert.

The RiverDogs, who are sponsored by Kirli’s Restaurant, finished their season 14 – 0 and won the Springville Youth Incorporated minor championship after they defeated the RockHounds, who are sponsored by Ion-TV 14-2, on Wednesday, July 28.

Both teams ended up in the championship match after playing in playoff games on Monday, July 16. The RiverDogs played against the Sand Gnats, who are sponsored by National Overhead Door and won 22 – 6. The RockHounds defeated the Bulls, who are sponsored by Jim Merenick State Farm Agency, by a score of 15 – 7 on that day, as well.

In the match between the RiverDogs and the RockHounds, the RiverDogs went ahead early to a 3 – 1 lead after the top of the second inning. The RiverDogs then stretched their lead to 8 – 1, in the top of the third, and made the score 13 – 1, by the end of the fourth.

The RiverDogs then went up 14 – 1 in the top of the fifth. With only one inning left in the bottom of the sixth, the RockHounds had their chance to make a comeback. Although one hit by a RockHound brought a player home, the RiverDogs to concluded the game as the champions and earned themselves an undefeated 2012 baseball season.

After the match, Coach Darren Wells of the RiverDogs said, “The kids played outstanding. We couldn’t have done it without the kids.”

Coach Jim Mansfield of the RockHounds also gave credit to all of the parents for bringing their kids to games and practices throughout the season. Mansfield expressed his gratitude for the Boston teams for participating in the SYI league, adding that their competition has helped benefit the league.

Mansfield said that this Little League season has been a “fun year” and encouraged new participants to come out and play next year.

Add your Comments