Top Row: Colin Ewing, coach Ron Fijalkowski, Coach Scott Engle, Adam Gavinski, Stephen Mumford, Jack Rieg, Liam Weiss, Cole Graf, Pete Moser, Coach Craig Moser, Coach Michael Rieg. Bottom Row: Cole Engle, Lincoln Fijalkowski,  Trent Kellogg,  Ryan McMaster, Ryan Cairns, Archie Miller.

            The Upper Perk Youth Baseball Association's 12U travel team completed its youth baseball career last week. Between July 28 and Aug. 3, the team participated in a week-long tournament held at Cooperstown Dreams Park in upstate New York.

            The Indians – managed by Mike Rieg – finished 32nd out of 85 teams in the tournament, held near the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, going 5-3 overall.

            The team, which was the first local entry to return to the season-ending tournament since 2019, due to COVID-19, went 3-2 during pool play. It posted wins over the Waldrick Warriors, the Oakville A's and the Brookly Park Bulldogs – Gray. Its losses came against Stars Baseball and the GBG Hawks.

            After receiving a bye in the championship portion of the tournament, the Indians reeled off consecutive victories over the Seattle Select (20-3) and a Brookly Park Bulldogs-Maroon (10-3).

            A 14-2 loss to Iconic Baseball, the No. 3 seeded team from Illinois, ended their run.

            The dozen team members, who began playing together on a UPYBA travel team as eight-year-olds, compiled a record of 127-29-3 over five seasons. They won 11 tournaments and finished second in five.

            During Cal Ripken competition, they finished second in the district tournament three times, reached the semifinal of the state tournament and the championship game once.

Last month, the Indians earned a spot in the Cal Ripken Southeast State Championship Tournament title game in Springfield. However, they lost 4-0 to the host Blue Sox on Wednesday, July 6.