A loss to a Berks County League rival sent the Upper Perk Kiwanis Youth Legion team into the elimination round last weekend. The following day, Penn Trafford earned a measure of revenge by preventing the team from successfully defending its Pennsylvania Youth Legion title.

Members of the Upper Perk Kiwanis Youth Legion team watch the game against Hamburg at First Commonwealth Field.

            The Braves played an extra inning Monday morning game and suffered a season-ending loss in Homer City. Penn Trafford scored six runs in the top of the eighth inning to register a 9-3 victory in the elimination round.

            Upper Perk's early exit ended a three-year stretch of competing on the tournament's final day. The team, which suffered consecutive losses for the second time this season, was looking to reach the championship round for the third consecutive year.

            According to Manager Peter Schramm, the Braves – who committed 10 errors and issued 24 walks during the tournament – made too many mental errors. He said the loss of starter Aiden Zuelch to injury impacted his pitching strategy at states.

            "We didn't pitch as well as we could have," Schramm said. "I'm sure that if we played more of a clean game, the outcome would have been different."

            The Hawks, who lost 1-0 to Upper Perk in last year's title game, snapped a 3-3 tie in the top of the eighth by sending 10 hitters to the plate against Benjamin Sands and Zachary Adam. They took advantage of five hits and three walks.

            Overall, three Braves pitchers issued 11 walks and allowed 10 hits. Their defense committed four errors.

            Peyton Mastro's bases loaded walk off Sands pushed home Penn Trafford's winning run. Adam then surrendered an RBI hit to Landon Thomas.

            After Post 331 scored on a wild pitch, Jordan White extended the lead to 8-3 with a two-run hit to center. Caleb Kerstetter's RBI hit capped the scoring.

            The Braves (30-8), making their fourth consecutive state tournament appearance, scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings off Kaden Lipko. A base running miscue may have cost them the opportunity to deliver a walk-off win.

            Down 3-1, Adam Gavinski doubled to center to open the inning. Pinch runner Jacob Pedrick advanced to third on a passed ball. A walk to Callen Schantz put runners at the corners.

            With Adam at the plate, Pedrick scored on a wild pitch, and Schantz advanced to third. They reloaded the bases on consecutive walks with no outs.

            However, with Sands batting, Schantz was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a wild pitch for the first out of the inning. Following a successful double steal, Adam scored the tying run on a bunt. A fly ball to right field ended the inning.

            "When we tied the game I thought for sure we would win," the manager said. "Our guys showed a lot of heart and grit to fight back. But it all fell apart in the eighth inning."

            The team had a chance to reduce its deficit in the bottom of the sixth inning when Sabo tripled with one out. But Lipko stranded him there.

            Sabo and Gavinski each finished with two hits for the Braves, who finished with seven hits. Gavinski drove in a run in the second inning to open the scoring.

            Walks and shoddy defense cost Upper Perk its first loss at states in two years. Three pitchers issued eight walks, and Hamburg made the most of three errors to post an 11-4 victory on Sunday, July 29, at First Commonwealth Bank Field and advance to the winners' bracket final.

            Three Braves errors led to six unearned runs by their Berks County League rivals, who they defeated twice during the regular season by a combined score of 19-3. Gavinski absorbed the mound loss in relief of Grayson Sabo. Gavinski issued three walks and allowed four hits during the decisive third and fourth innings.

            The Reds scored nine consecutive runs during those frames, five of which were unearned, to overcome a 4-2 deficit. Isaak Stewart's three-run double in the third inning highlighted a five-run outburst.

            Dylan Gough earned the mound victory for Hamburg. He allowed just one earned run and four hits over six innings.

            Down 2-0, the Braves delivered all their offense in the third inning. Benjamin Sands, who finished with a team-high two hits, highlighted the rally with an RBI single.

            Benjamin Sands finished with two hits for Upper Perk. Zachary Adam stole two bases.

            A fourth-inning rally carried the Braves to their opening-round win and their sixth consecutive state tournament victory. A six-run outburst lifted them to a 13-3 victory over Monroevile Post 820 on Saturday, July 27.

            Godshall finished with three hits and scored two runs. Adam delivered two hits, two RBIs and scored two runs.

            Liam Weiss and Schantz each finished with two hits, scored two runs and drove in a run for Upper Perk, who scored 11 runs in their final two at-bats before invoking the 10-run rule after five innings. Nathan Schramm collected three of its 10 steals.

            Leading 2-0, the team sent 12 hitters to the plate against Gators (8-15) starting pitcher Joey Pachete. Adam and Godshall each drove in two runs on double and single, respectively. Schantz added an RBI hit.

            Upper Perk added five runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game. A two-run hit by Weiss highlighted the flurry.

            Weiss earned the mound victory. He allowed just one run in 4 2/3 innings, working around three walks while striking out five.

            The manager said he didn't expect the Braves to dominate the Berks County League the way they did after graduating a half-dozen key performers from last year's state title team. This season, they were undefeated during the league's regular season and posted an 18-game winning streak.

            "I'm very pleased with how well this team did," Pete Schramm said. "This was a very young group. We just got hot at the wrong time."