Sports
Little League: Cardinals Crowned Champions After Ousting Orioles
St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Baltimore Orioles 11-3 in the championship game
Giving a team extra outs in baseball usually proves costly. One team was able to capitalize on these mistakes, catapulting them to the championship.
The Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals met in the championship game Friday night at Signal Rock Park. These teams compete in the Major Division, with the age range being 10 to 12 years old. The Cardinals won the game 11-3 and have won back-to-back championships in Little League play.
St. Louis got on the board in the bottom of the first when Drew Brady drove in a run with a double to center. Ian Wyllie picked up two RBIs, increasing the lead to 3-0 on a single to right field.
Find out what's happening in North Kingstownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Orioles battled back in the second inning. Michael Ferri cut the deficit to 3-1 with a single to right.
Mistakes in the field cost Baltimore a chance at winning it all tonight. In the bottom of the second, Nolan Barry's throw to first was wild, allowing a run to score. Brady drove in another run and Wyllie notched two more RBIs in the inning. After the damage was done, the Cardinals lead had grown to 9-1.
Find out what's happening in North Kingstownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In the top of the third, the Orioles got two runs on an error by the Cardinals. Second baseman John Zevzavard allowed a grounder to go through his legs and two Baltimore players crossed the plate on the play. However, the Orioles would not score again for the remainder of the game.
Cardinals starting pitcher, Ryan DiGuilio, pitched a complete game (six innings), allowed one earned run and notched seven strikeouts.
"Ryan DiGuilio pitched his first complete game of the season and picked the best time to do it," St. Louis coach Jim Brady said.
St. Louis scored two more unearned runs, one in the third and one in the fourth innings, to extend the lead to 11-3. That would be the final score and the Cardinals are the champions for the second year in a row.
"This is the best game we’ve played all year," Brady added, "I couldn’t be more proud of these kids."
Orioles coach, Mike Gecawich, was proud of his team making a deep playoff run. "We were made up of a few kids who had never played before and for us to make it here I am proud of them," he said.
"We try to teach them that from the beginning it’s all about having heart," the coach added.
