In the pros, it’s not often that the team with the best regular-season record goes on to win it all. But at Veira Park on Saturday, that’s exactly what played out during the Little League Championship games. The league-leading Twins won the minor league trophy, defeating the Marlins 8-1, while the Cubs took a 2-1 victory over the Athletics.
The Twins lost only one game this season (to the Marlins), a notable resurgence for a team that finished last year in last place.
“Our offense was so steady,” said coach Dave Pizzano after the game. With the Twins lineup solid throughout and Benny Binder and Colby Balboni providing key support from the mound, it wasn’t until the final inning that the Marlins were able to score, on a dash home by Petey Burke.
In stark contrast, the major league game was a pitching battle from the start. All-star Cubs pitcher Chris Mayhew set the tone with a 1-2-3 inning — followed by a second three-up, three-down inning, and then a third.
Aksel Cooperrider, a fellow all-star pitching for the A’s, rose to the occasion, turning in a one-two-three inning of his own in the first and working himself out of a 3-1 jam in the second to preserve the no-hitter.
“Oh, that’s such a good pitch,” came a murmur from the stands after Aksel fired a perfect curve ball past his opponent for the final K. “He had that hitter fooled.”
But Aksel provided the most damage in the fourth inning, coming to bat with two outs on the scoreboard and blasting an over-the-fence home run on the first pitch he saw to put the A’s up 1-0.
Chris promptly shut down the next As hitter for the last out before getting things started for his team in the bottom of the fourth, breaking up Aksel’s perfect-game bid by drawing a walk. Teammate Aidan Aliberti took advantage of the situation by ripping a drive down the first baseline on an 0-2 pitch to send Chris home with the RBI triple.
With Cubs’ slugging leader Jacob Cardoza at bat next, another run seemed close for the team; however, Aksel blocked Jacob’s up-the-middle hit to make the out at first. A stellar defensive play by As outfielder Jake Pendergraft stopped Jacob Gundersen from reaching base, but by the time the out was made Aidan had run home to make the score 2-1, Cubs.
Both pitchers returned to form in the next inning, with neither allowing a runner on base.
Jacob Cardoza took over for Chris on the mound in the sixth to preserve the one-hitter, the lead and the victory.
“I thought it was going to be a close game right down to the end,” said Chris after the win, his seventh of the season. Batting .500 with his predictions, Chris added that he had also thought he’d last just two and a half innings.
Following the championship games, awards were handed out to all levels of Little League. With the regular season now over, the summer travel teams begin play. The 12-year-old team traveled to Sandwich Sunday, where they fell 3-2 in extra innings.
The team plays at home tomorrow against Middleboro at 5 p.m. at Veira Park. The 11-year-old travel squad is also at home this week, playing Wednesday at 2 p.m.
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