Upper Perk's Kiwanis Youth Legion baseball team is returning to the state tournament for the third straight year. It qualified by posting an extra-inning, walk-off

Zane Saeger, left, waits at second base for  a throw  during Upper Perkiomen's Youth Legion Eastern  Regional Trounament opener on July 21.

victory over a league rival last weekend in the winners bracket final of the Eastern Regional Tournament.

            Manager Rick Rossiter watched from the parking lot as the host Braves scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure a 4-3 victory over Perkiomen Valley on Sunday, July 23. Rossiter was ejected during the top half of the inning for arguing a balk call against pitcher Benjamin Godshall.

            Two days later, the team was awarded its second straight regional title after inclement weather postponed the tournament's final two games. Perkiomen Valley and Back Mountain played Wednesday morning at Bonekemper Field for second place and a berth at states.

            Upper Perk – which overcame 13 errors in four regional games to advance –

 is scheduled to open the state tournament in Berwick against Lower Southampton, which finished second in the North Berwick regional tournament, at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

            The Braves (26-7) reached the tourney's final day in each of the two previous seasons. It finished second in 2022.

            On Sunday afternoon, the hosts earned an extra-inning victory in the regional tournament's winners' bracket final and defeat a league rival despite committing five errors at Bonekemper Field. They scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to post a 4-3 win over Perkiomen Valley without hitting the ball out of the infield.

            Zane Saeger scored the decisive run from third base on a wild pitch by relief pitcher Ryan McMenamin.

            Godshall earned the mound victory despite allowing a run in the top of the eighth inning to the Raiders. The balk called against Godshall helped Perkiomen Valley go ahead 3-2.

            The play, which allowed Braden Tighe to advance from second to third, led to the ejection of Rossiter, who argued with the home plate umpire. Tighe scored on Ryan King's ground ball with the infield drawn in.

            Godshall kept his team within striking distance by retiring the next two hitters to end the rally.

            In the bottom of the inning, the Braves needed only four hitters to score the decisive runs.
            Nate Schramm led off the inning with a single that deflected off the pitcher's leg and took second on an errant throw by Perkiomen Valley's third baseman.

            Saeger followed with a perfectly placed bunt to the left side of the infield for a hit. He then stole second. Dice's bunt hit to the right side of the infield forced home Schramm. Dice raced to second on the play.

            With the bases loaded following an intentional walk to Brody Weiss, McMenamin bounced a curveball with Jackson Long at the plate. Saeger broke from third and easily scored the game-winning run.

            Cole Pierce, Upper Perkiomen's starting pitcher, allowed just one earned run in seven innings. He worked around five errors behind him, scattering eight hits.

            The Raiders had base runners in every inning but the first, but Pierce stranded seven runners, including six in scoring position.

            Weiss and Dice each finished with two hits for the Braves, which scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. Dice, who singled with one out, came home from third on an errant throw to second on Weiss' steal of second. Weiss eventually came home on Pierce's infield grounder.

            An error by Pierce on a comebacker to the mound in the top of the fourth inning lead directly to Perkiomen Valley's first run. Later in the fourth, the pitcher turned a line drive into an inning-ending double play.

           In the fifth inning, the Raiders forced a 2-2 tie. Horgan led off the inning with a single to left, moved to second on a walk and scored on a one-out single up the middle by Jason King. Pierce limited the damage by striking out the next two hitters.

            On Saturday, the Braves overcame three errors to defeat Falls Township and remain undefeated. Long led them to an 8-3 win at the plate with three hits. He also drove in two runs.

            Weiss delivered two hits and drove in three runs for the team, which scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Jordin Dice added two hits and scored two runs.

            Saeger scored twice and stole two bases for the Braves, who extended their lead to 7-3 with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

            Ryan Sink earned the mound victory, tossing 6 1/3 innings. He was charged with one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out five. Godshall recorded the final two outs.

            Upper Perk suffered its first loss of the tournament while committing five more errors Monday afternoon. Back Mountain did all its offensive damage in two innings in a 9-5 victory.

            The Hawks, the Wyoming Valley League representative, scored five runs in the second inning and added four in the fourth inning off Topher Burns. The Upper Perk starter was charged with five earned runs. Liam Weiss pitched the final 3 1/3 innings.

            Pierce led his team's offense with two hits and an RBI. Godshall added two hits.

            Saeger scored twice and stole a base for the Braves, who scored single runs in the first, second, third, fifth and seventh innings. They left 10 runners on base.

            The Braves opened the tournament with a dominant victory, needing only six innings to post an 11-1 victory over Swoyersville on Friday, July 21.

            On the mound, Jonathan Lewis, Long and Saeger combined to allow just one hit. The trio recorded seven strikeouts.

            Lewis, the starting pitcher, allowed the only run in the top of the fourth inning. By then, his team had built a 3-1 lead thanks to a first-inning rally.

            Long earned the mound victory, tossing 2 1/3 shutout innings in relief while striking out three. He led Upper Perk at the plate, delivering two hits, scoring two runs and driving in three.
            Pierce went 2-for-3 while scoring two runs and driving in two for the team, which scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

            Weiss finished with two hits, scored three runs and drove one in for the host Braves, who pushed home a single run in the bottom of the third inning before adding six more in the fourth and one in the sixth to trigger the 10-run rule. Sink notched two hits and drove in two runs.