Quakertown's American Legion baseball team won't get the opportunity to win a third straight state championship. West Lawn made sure of that on Tuesday afternoon as the Blue Jays suffered a season-ending loss in the Region 2 Tournament in Boyertown.

Quakertown catcher Gunnar Rahn tags a Nazareth runner at the plate on Friday, July 18, in the opening round of the Reg- ion 2 Tournament at Bear Stadium in Boyertown.

            Cooper Kennedy pitched the Owls to a 3-2 victory in the semifinal round, scattering five hits and not issuing a walk.

            Post 242 needed to post four consecutive victories to secure its third consecutive regional title following a second-round loss to South Parkland at Bear Stadium. It reached the tournament's final day by defeating Bethlehem and North Parkland.

            However, West Lawn denied the Blue Jays (20-4) the chance to compete for their third straight regional title and qualify for the state tournament that begins Saturday at McDowell Senior High School in Erie County.

           Michael Bradley scored the decisive run in the bottom of the second inning for the Berks County League champion Owls. He opened the inning with a hit and eventually scored from third on the second of two infield errors to snap a 2-2 tie.

            Quakertown starting pitcher Chase Gieser absorbed the loss after recording only three outs. Cooper Natisin tossed five shutout innings in relief.

            The Blue Jays went ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning. Gerald Stanziola opened the game game with a single and moved to second on a balk. He scored on a double by Cole Reich.

            Two hitters later, Caleb Everitt's sacrifice fly scored Reich from third base.

            West Lawn responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on just one hit. Cole Lavin was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. He eventually scored on a wild pitch. With two outs and the bases loaded, Gieser hit Stan Maoury with a pitch.

            A 5-0 loss to South Parkland on Saturday, July 19 knocked Quakertown – the two-time defending state champions – Jays into the consolation round. Mackaden Parsell earned the mound victory, limiting them to four hits and one walk while striking out five.
            Chris Peacher registered half of Quakertown's hits. Jackson Gilman drove in its only run in the fourth inning to get the team within two runs.

            Carter Delong drove in three runs for the Trojans, who scored twice in the third inning off Carver Perrone. The Lehigh Valley league champions added one run in the fifth and two in the seventh to secure a spot in Sunday's winners' bracket final.

            The following day, the Blue Jays needed only five innings to eliminate Bethlehem and extend their season. A nine-run rally in the third inning carried them to a 15-3 victory on July 20.
            Jackson Gilman delivered key contributions at the plate and on the mound. He drove in five runs and tossed a complete game.
            Natisin scored four runs and drove in three for Post 242, which overcame an early 2-0 deficit. Leadoff hitter Stanziola scored three hits and delivered two hits.
            Quakertown scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning on three hits. Natisin's two-run double forced a 2-2 tie. Gilman's run-scoring grounder put the Blue Jays ahead for good.
            Quakertown – the Bux-Mont League champions – took control in the third inning, sending 13 hitters to the plate. An error by the Wanders on Natisan's fly ball to center leading off sparked the rally.

            Anthony Pellegrini and Gilman each delivered a two-run single. In between, Reich, Natisan and Everitt were each hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. 

            On Monday night, Post 242 utilized a four-run rally during the top of the sixth inning to defeat the North Parkland Buffaloes, 6-3. Natisan and Nicholas Depiero each delivered an RBI double during the rally that extended their season to the tournament's final day.

            Reich scored the decisive run on a balk during the inning. Everitt recorded the final out, with the tying run at the plate, to earn a save.

            Down 3-2 in the sixth, Quakertown sent eight hitters to the plate. Natisin's double forced a 3-3 tie. With runners on second and third, North Parkland pitcher Peyton Scherff balked home Reich, who had worked a walk.

            Jarred Housten earned the mound victory. The Blue Jays starter permitted two earned runs (three overall) on four hits in five innings. He issued four walks and struck out five.

            Reich, Natison and Logan Neiwoehner paced their team's 11-hit attack with two each. Everitt scored two runs and stole three bases.

            Reich's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning lifted Post 242 to a 2-1 victory over Nazareth on the tournament's first day. It drove home Chris Peacher, who had led off the inning with a double, from third.
            Pellegrini earned the mound win in five innings. He recorded the final outs, allowing just one hit.
            The run came one-half inning after the Eagles forced a 1-1 tie. Chase Biederman drove in a run in the top of the sixth inning off Gieser, Quakertown's reliever.

            The host Bears lost their initial two games, managing just six hits. In the opener, they managed three hits in a 12-0 loss to Doylestown, the No. 2 seed from the Bux-Mont League.
            Logan Barndt posted two hits for Boyertown, which allowed seven runs in the first inning and five in the second inning. The Tigers registered nine hits.
            The following day, the Bears lost, 4-0, to the Bethlehem Wanderers. Barndt, Mason Reinert and Ryan Dulude each posted a hit.