By Bill Marsh
Item sports correspondent
STERLING — The Bruisers pocketed the George P. Gibbs Little League Majors division championship with a recent 12-4 victory over the Red Thunder at Maypother Field, sweeping the best-of-three series 2-0.
In the title tilt, neither team scored in the first inning, but the Bruisers, the No. 1 seed, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second frame on a single by Keegan Falk and three consecutive walks.
In the third, the Bruisers exploded for five runs to go up 6-0.
The outburst started with a single by Miles Catlow, followed by a walk and an error, loading the bases.
With the sacks full, Jacob Siedlecki hammered a base-clearing double to deep left field. A walk, a single by Braydon Bedard and an error allowed two more runs to cross the plate.
Trailing 6-0, the Red Thunder scored a run without the benefit of a hit in the home half of the third to make it a 6-1 game.
The Bruisers added a run in the top of the fourth on a hit batsman and three walks to take a 7-1 lead.
The Red Thunder answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on three walks and a two RBI single by AJ DiCandia.
Entering the fifth frame, the Bruisers held a 7-3 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Bruisers added to their lead by scoring three times. A single by Ben Hines, an error, two walks and two wild pitches accounted for the three runs.
Down 10-3, the Red Thunder scored a solo run in the fifth, but it was too little too late, as the Bruisers scored two times in the sixth to put the game away.
The Bruisers pitching was solid with starter Siedlecki and reliever Catlow combining for a three-hitter. Siedlecki and Catlow each struck out six batters.
Aidan Chase, Crosby Lucarelli and DiCandia all pitched well for the Red Thunder.
The Bruisers were led by Siedlecki and Falk, who both had two hits.
Playing outstanding defense for the Bruisers were Falk in left field and Rylan Plump at shortstop, while Lucarelli and DiCandia, both at shortstop, wore the gold gloves for the Red Thunder.
“We played well,” Bruisers manager Mike Plump said. “By the third inning, we got a few runs and just built on that.”
“The pitching was huge,” he said. “After Jake (Siedlecki) had reached his 85 pitches, which was the max (quota) for him, we brought in Miles (Catlow), and he finished it up for us.
“We played a team (Red Thunder) that is better than their record shows,” Plump added. “They hustle all the time and play hard.
“Our defense was solid tonight, and the kids improved all season.”
Due to fewer teams, the Gibbs Little League merged with Holden a couple of years ago. This season, there were eight teams in the Majors division of the Holden Little League, with the Bruisers finishing in a tie for first place, posting a 10-2-1 record.
“We really surpassed our expectations in finishing in a tie for first place,” Plump said. “It was pretty amazing and was great for the Sterling kids.”
