Mathewson McCarthy 12U travel wins title

The Mathewson McCarthy 12U travel team won its first championship of 2007 with a 3-0-1 record in the Mathewson McCarthy 12U Tournament. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: first row - Collin Miller, Brian Bookbinder, Alex Radice and bat boy Jimmy Honsberger; second row - coach Jim Honsberger, Peter Moran, coach Tim Stives, Tommy Kline, Devin Stives, Matt Jungier, Adam Panfil, Jordan Honsberger, Timmy Coulter and Will Carroll.

The Mathewson McCarthy 12U travel team won its first championship of 2007 with a 3-0-1 record in the Mathewson McCarthy 12U Tournament.

Final

Mathewson McCarthy 5,

Lou Gehrig Blue 4

The championship game found two familiar rivals pitted against each other for the Mathewson McCarthy 12U title.

Lou Gehrig Blue had defeated Mathewson McCarthy twice in the state tournament and advanced to regionals. Mathewson McCarthy stung Lou Gehrig one time in the travel season earlier in the year. The two teams played to a 6-6 thriller the day before.

Mathewson McCarthy proved to be too much as they captured the championship, 5-4, in another hard fought and tremendous game.

Pitching was the name of the game again for both teams. Mathewson McCarthy rode Devin Stives through 4.2 innings as he confused Lou Gehrig with his fast ball and slider pitches.

The defense showed up for Mathewson McCarthy as well as Jordan Honsberger and Alex Radice both made outstanding plays that saved potential runs for Mathewson McCarthy.

Peter Moran, Tommy Kline, Adam Panfil and Stives all contributed hits and runs to the cause. But it took the big bat of Brian Bookbinder to club the game-winning hit as he singled in the fifth to score Timmy Coulter.

With Mathewson McCarthy up 4-1 entering the fifth inning, Lou Gehrig showed their tenacity and fearlessness as they tallied two runs to get within a run of tying the game. Stives gave way to the hard-throwing Adam Panfil in the fifth. Panfil reared back and blew away the final two Lou Gehrig hitters, leaving the bases full of Lou Gehrig Blue runners. Panfil took to the hill again in the sixth and struck out the side to earn the championship for Mathewson McCarthy.

Game three

Mathewson McCarthy 6,

Lou Gehrig Blue 6

Game Three brought the two best teams together as Mathewson McCarthy squared off against Lou Gehrig Blue. Both teams were 2-0 going into their final tournament game before the finals. It was only fitting for this game to finish at a 6-6 tie after six innings.

Mathewson McCarthy's Peter Moran went the distance, spinning a gem as he kept the potent Lou Gehrig hitters off balance all game with his masterful combination of fast ball and curve ball.

Moran scattered eight hits over six innings of work, striking out five Lou Gehrig players. Lou Gehrig went up 1-0 after one inning and tallied two more in their half of the third to take a commanding 3-0 lead.

Mathewson McCarthy fought back in the fourth, scoring three runs fueled by Peter Moran's single. Moran later scored on a Tommy Kline double that rattled the center field fence. Kline crossed the plate on Adam Panfil's groundout and Devin Stives scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Jungier.

Lou Gehrig didn't go away as they scored yet another two runs in their half of the fourth to take another two-run lead.

Mathewson McCarthy turned it up in the fifth and scored four more times to take a 6-4 lead. Moran continued his torrid hitting, scoring Brian Bookbinder and Timmy Coulter. Moran was picked up on a Devin Stives double.

Mathewson McCarthy took their two-run lead into the bottom half of the sixth inning as Moran continued his masterful pitching. With two outs, Moran walked a Lou Gehrig player and had Tommy Styn with two strikes and the game in hand when lightning struck. Styn crushed a two-strike fast ball for a two-run home run far over the left field fence to tie the game at 6-6. That is how it ended up as both teams qualified for the final game Sunday afternoon.

Game Two

Mathewson McCarthy 5,

Cayuga 0 Game Two was all about Will Carroll for Mathewson McCarthy. Mathewson McCarthy took it to Cayuga, winning 5-0, to take their tournament record to 2-0 after two games.

Carroll was dominant, allowing only a single hit and striking out 12 Cayuga players. Carroll had it all working this night, combining straight heat with a devastating off-speed breaking pitch that kept Cayuga on their heels all game.

Peter Moran led off the game with a triple and scored on a Tommy Kline base hit. Kline was picked up by Adam Panfil's double.

Mathewson McCarthy struck again in the third as Kline singled and Devin Stives hit a two-run bomb far over the left field fence. Brian Bookbinder finished the scoring in the fifth as he crossed the plate on a Moran double.

Game one

Mathewson McCarthy 5,

Lancaster/Depew 4

Game One saw Mathewson Mc- Carthy pull out a 5-4 win over Lancaster/ Depew.

Mathewson McCarthy jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning on the strength of a Peter Moran leadoff triple. He later scored when Adam Panfil hit a rocket to the center field fence for a double.

Devin Stives and Panfil scored on a two-out Jordan Honsberger single to center.

Lancaster/Depew scored three in their half of the second to tie the score and moved ahead by one after four innings.

Mathewson McCarthy fought hard in the fifth as Will Carroll walked and scored on an Alex Radice single.

Mathewson McCarthy scored the game winner in the top of the sixth when Moran walked to lead off the inning, stole second and third base and scored on a Tommy Kline groundout. Panfil and Stives combined for a two-hitter on the mound, striking out 11.