2023 Pennsylvania State Youth Leagion Champions

          The third straight appearance in the Pennsylvania Youth Legion tournament title was the charm for the Upper Perk Kiwanis team. On Wednesday morning, the franchise captured its first state championship.

            Jonathan Lewis and Zane Saeger pitched the Braves to a 1-0 victory over Penn Trafford in the title game in North Berwick. Ryan Sink drove in the game's only run in the fourth inning.

            "It's amazing," Manager Rick Rossiter said of the team's first state title in 41 years of existence. "The game was a real nail-biter. We played excellent defense."

            Lewis and Saeger combined to allow the Warriors just three hits. They issued a combined six walks without recording a strikeout.

            Lewis earned the mound victory for Upper Perkiomen (31-7), which went 5-0 during the tournament. The starter pitched into the fifth inning. Saeger registered an eight-out save.

            Saeger, who replaced Lewis on the mound, induced Evan Lawson to fly out to right fielder Nathan Schramm for the final out with the potential tying run in scoring position.

            Schramm made a diving play which Rossiter described it as a game saver.

            The Braves, who ended up in third place in 2021 before finishing second last year, delivered two of their three hits off Warriors pitcher Zachary Feldman during the decisive rally. Brody Weiss was hit by a pitch to open the fourth inning, and Jackson Long followed with a single to left.

            Following a sacrifice bunt by Cole Pierce, Sink drove home Weiss with a single to left. Long stopped at third, but Sink was thrown out at second when the throw from left field ended up at the plate.

            The Braves, who made their fifth overall appearance in the state title game, threatened in the fifth inning. Schramm worked a leadoff walk and was sacrificed to second. He stole third but was stranded.

            Penn Trafford (25-3) generated two scoring opportunities. Lewis escaped any damage in the top of the third despite issuing two leadoff walks. He got Lawson to bounce a double play ground ball to Cole Pierce at third base.

            Dominic Delio followed with a single to left field will a runner on second base. However, Ben Lenhart stopped at third. Lewis induced a grounder to Pierce to end the threat.

            In the fifth inning, the Warriors loaded the bases with one out on three walks by Lewis. But Saeger ended the threat by inducing a popup and a fly ball to right.

            With one out in the sixth inning, Ethan Septak doubled to center. However, Saeger worked out of trouble.

            During the seventh, Braden Kane singled to center with one out and advanced to second on a grounder. But Saeger stranded him there.

            Upper Perk made its fifth overall appearance in the title game since 1991 and third since 2013. That season, the team advanced to the decisive round by rallying for a 6-4 semifinal victory over Murrysville in Homer City. However, the Newtown Tropics defeated them 5-1 to earn the championship.

            Last year, at the same site, the Braves rebounded from an opening round loss to Murrysville with three consecutive victories to reach the decisive round. In a rematch with Post 711, they managed just two hits in an 8-3 loss at Commonwealth Field.