Ellwood City Knocked Off In 72nd Annual Little League Tournament

After stringing together two victories to begin their tournament run, Ellwood City ran into some trouble over the weekend in the 72nd Annual Ellwood City Little League Tournament, first falling to defending tournament champion Central Valley 12-3 on Saturday and then to Neshannock on Sunday to eliminate the team from the tournament.

Central Valley plays Neshannock Monday evening in the tournament championship game.

On Sunday, Neshannock broke open a 1-1 deadlock in the sixth inning with a five-run outburst with two outs to defeat Ellwood City 6-1 at Freidhoff Field on Sunday night.

After three scoreless innings, Neshannock took the lead in the top of the fourth inning but Ellwood City was able to knot the score in the bottom half of the inning on a solo home run by Joey Zito to tie the score at 1-1.

After a scoreless fifth inning, Neshannock scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Luca Perrotta walked and Iwanejko was hit by a pitch. David Jimm reached on a fielder’s choice before Lucci Orelli reached on a base on balls to load the bases. Jackson Lynch drew a walk to force in Perrotta to give Neshannock a 2-1 lead. Beckeyy Moreland followed with a two-run single as the Neshannock lead went to 4-1. Kean Owens singled in two more runs to increase the lead to 6-1.

Ellwood City got two players aboard in the bottom of the inning when Reece Van Kirk was walked and Max Sedgwick was hit by a pitch. But a strikeout ended the threat and the game.

Jackson Lynch and Kean Owens combined a two-hitter and struck out 15 batters to lead Neshannock.

Cam Boydell tossed three scoreless inggings for Ellwood City and allowedtwo hits and fanned two.

Owens led Neshannock with two singles and two RBI. Rapchak, Moreland and Jimm singled and walked and Iwanejko singled and was hit by a pitch. Leadoff hitter Lynch drew three walks for Neshannock.

Joey Zito led Ellwood City with a home run and double.

After knocking off Ellwood City, Central Valley defeated Neshannock on Monday to claim the 2023 Championship

Central Valley Downs Ellwood City 12-3 On Saturday

On Saturday, Central Valley downed Ellwood City, 12-3, in the winner’s bracket final at Freidhoff Field in the 72nd Ellwood City Little League Tournament.

Bobby Matich rapped three hits and Carson Cushin homered and singled to lead a 12-hit batting attack for Central Valley.

Central Valley jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Ellwood City got a run back in their half of the inning. Joey Nardone singled and with one out Anderson Weisz followed with a single. Mason Bable drove in Nardone with a single to make the score 4-1.

After the lead ballooned to 10-1, Ellwood City tacked on two runs in the bottom of the third frame. Isaih Thompson was hit by a pitch and Nardone followed with a single. Anderson Weisz groudout scored Thompson to cut the deficit to 10-2.
Bable followed with an RB-single scoring Nardone to narrow the deficit to 10-3.

After a scoreless fourth inning, CV scored a solo run in the top of the fifth inning. Krause walked, stole second base and scored on Lewis’ single to make the score 11-3. Central Valley tacked on one more run in the top of the sixth inning. Sullivan walked, moved to second base on a groundout and scored on Matich’s single to make the final margin 12-3.

Cushin led Central Valley with a home run, single and three RBI. Matich doubled, singled twice and drove in two runs. Harris singled twice and Kearney doubled with two RBI. Lewis added a single and walk. Wilson, Sullivan and Cercone added singles and Kraus drew two walks. Bable led Ellwood City with two singles and two RBI.Nardone singled twice and Weisz added a single.

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