Courtesy photo The Merrimack Valley 10U Prospects show off their hardware after capturing the EBL title. Front row from left are Jace Dillon, Matthew Bergin, Matthew Howie, Marcus Conti, Ricky Nunez. Middle row from left: Will McKenney, Brayden Ouellet, Max Demers, Jordan Morelli, Ryan Caruso, Connor Gryniewicz, Jordyn Rodriguez. Back row from left: coach Dan Caruso, manager Matt Demers, coach Bud Ouellet.

MERRIMACK VALLEY PROPECTS

WIN EBL CHAMPIONSHIP

The locally-based Merrimack Valley Prospects youth baseball team won the Elite 10U Baseball League championship, beating Londonderry in the title game held in Manchester. Before that they topped the Merrimack Valley Commodores in the semifinals.

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Here are the details:

10U PROSPECTS 5

LONDONDERY JR. LANCERS 0

With a great defense behind him, Connor Gryniewicz hurled a complete game one-hitter, striking out three.

For the second straight day, the Prospects team defense stole the show, this time in championship fashion with 15 putouts against zero errors.

On their second time through the lineup the Prospects bats came through in the clutch, scoring five runs on four hits in the 5th inning. Max Demers single (1 for 3, one run), Gryniewicz single (1 for 2, one RBI, one run), Ryan Caruso single (1 for 2, two RBIs, one run), and Will McKenney single (1 for 2, one RBI) led the way. Jordan Morelli and Matthew Bergin also scored in the inning.

The Prospects completed their regular season with a record of 12-2, chalking up at least one win against every opponent faced as they excelled with their elite pitching, big bats, and clean defense.

On their way to becoming EBL champions, the Prospects shut out opponents in four of their six playoff games outscoring their opponents by an impressive 48-4 with total 51 hits. Prospects pitchers combined to strike out 43 batters and held opponents to just eight hits while the defense supported their pitchers with a 0.941 fielding percentage in the playoffs.

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10U PROSPECTS 1

MV COMMODORES 0

The semis turned out to be a heavyweight bout that would not disappoint as Demers toed the rubber for the Prospects, surrendering just two hits over six innings both coming off the bat of the Commodores’ Chase Russell.

Russell pitched for the Commodores and also gave up just two hits in five innings, but one of those two hits came off the bat of Connor Gryniewicz who singled scoring speedster Matthew Bergin from second for the game’s lone run in the bottom of the fourth.

The Prospects defense played a clean game with 14 defensive putouts (at least one from every position) and zero errors. The final out of the game was made on a diving catch in right field by Will McKenney.

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NASHUA CAL RIPKEN

AAA

ROCKIES 6

PIRATES 6

For the Pirates, Hunter Sullivan hit a hard single to center while Aaron Cullinane pitched a solid inning with two strikeouts. Joey Lantz crushed a triple to the fence and had two RBIs.

For the Rockies, Chris Labrecque hit the ball hard all night and Leo Desfosses and Ricky Nunez provided outstanding defense.

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TIGERS 9

DIAMONDBACKS 9

The D-Backs starting pitchers came out strong as Gates, Mason Townsend, and Luke Graven combined for 12 strikeouts and only four runs earned through five innings.

Behind strong pitching from Aivan Garcia, David Butler, Cole Brandt, Krish Suresh, the Tigers scored five in the sixth.

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MAJORS

RED SOX 10

PHILLIES 0

Michael Witkowski pitched a complete game two hitter with eight strikeouts to lead the Red Sox. Josh Alvarez and Jacoby Caissie had a double and two RBIs, while Logan Coleman had a two-run single. Ian Blake, Sam Levine and Taylor Joyal scored two runs apiece.

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ATHLETICS 2

PHILLIES 1

Owen Forcier pitched a complete game while striking out nine. The A’s received great defense from Benny Byrne and were paced offensively by Cole Patno and Joe Moniz.

The Phillies got solid pitching from Jack Razzaboni and Charlie Patterson.

Patrick LeMay and Ryan DuVarney had hits for the Phillies.

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RED SOX 4

WHITE SOX 1

Sam Levine, Josh Alvarez and Sam Woodward combined for a three-hitter, with Levine adding three hits and two runs scored for the win.

Taylor Joyal and Woodward had two hits and an RBI each. Levine pitched out of a bases loaded jam in first with help of a line drive double play by Woodward at first base.

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RED SOX 4

GIANTS 2

Jacoby Caissie threw 5.2 dominant innings, giving up two hits and twounearned runs with 10 strikeouts, while adding 2 runs scored to lead the Red Sox.

Alvarez had two hits and two runs scored. Taylor Joyal got the final out, stranding the tying run at second to earn the save.