Central Amherst Yankees takes'AA Jr.' championship

The Yankees beat the Orioles, 15-9, to win the Central Amherst "AA Jr." title. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: players from left - Taylor Trautman, Liza Florczak, William Lawley, Carson Graves, Michael Dispenza, Ethan Glenning, Hannah Smith, Andrew Fromen, Nicholas MacDonald, Max Nowicki; back row - coaches Bill Trautman, Andre Graves, Marc Nowicki, Mike MacDonald, Paul Dispenza and Matt Hakes.

The Yankees used timely hitting and some great defense to beat the Orioles 15-9 on Saturday to claim the Central Amherst Little League "AA Jr." championship.

The Orioles jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first behind RBI singles from Garren Dudas, Brian Comerford and Colin Blatz and a long double by Anthony Fago.

The Yankees answered in the bottom of the first with six runs of their own. Michael Dispenza, Carson Graves and Camryn Sullivan all hit run-scoring doubles, and Taylor Trautman knocked two runs in with a long single.

After Peter John Ciotta doubled and scored on Theo Gogos' single in the top of the second to tie the game, the Yankees took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning with five runs. Ethan Glenning, Andrew Fromen, and William Lawley each contributed a big hit during the Yankees' rally.

Defense was the key for the Yankees in the middle innings as shortstop Nick MacDonald snared a hard line drive off the bat of Emily Morina and raced to first to complete the unassisted double play and shut down an Orioles' rally in the third.

The fourth inning started with consecutive singles by Spencer Wing, Mitch Farrar, Ciotta and Anthony Cavalieri for the O's, but another unassisted double play by the Yankees, this one by second baseman Camryn Sullivan, held the Orioles to only two runs.

The Yankees got a key insurance run in the bottom of the fourth when Liza Florczak hit a long double to the gap in left center field, and came home on Hannah Smith's single up the middle. They added three more in the bottom of the fifth on consecutive doubles by MacDonald, Graves and Dispenza, and singles by Glenning and Florczak.

The game ended with another defensive gem for the Yankees. With Oriole runners on first and second, Victoria Monetti hit a hard smash down the third base line. Yankee third baseman Max Nowicki made an incredible play to knock the ball down and shortstop MacDonald scooped the ball up and beat Morina to the bag for the force out to clinch the championship.

The Yankees were led at the plate by Graves, Dispenza and Sullivan, each with two doubles. Sullivan went 3 for 3, matching Florczak and MacDonald for the game high in hits.

For the Orioles, Ciotta returned from the injured list to contribute two hits, and Dudas was his usual stellar self in the field, making several spectacular plays.