Lewisboro Lightning Takes Home 9U Championship

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On Sunday August 3, Lewisboro 9u reached the finals of the GHVBL playoffs and had their sights set on the big trophy at Rogers Park in Danbury and Lewisboro Town Park on the next day when the skies cleared. A 1-1 game in the bottom of the fifth, the boys knew the score and hoped they wouldn’t need a sixth inning hammer versus Bedford Pound Ridge. So with one out, it fell on Caiden Jones to get things started.

He singled and Henry Parrish doubled him in for the go-ahead run and another added would pave the way for a 3-1 victory.

Of course, the Lightning would have to get there first versus the Hudson Valley Hawks, and they saved the best for last in the semis too. Any early 3-0 deficit made the heroics a necessity, though.

The second inning began the way back, and James Maharaj did the initial honors by leading off with a single. He was followed by Parrish's single and a walk to Jones loaded the bases with no one out.

A big traffic jam, the Lightning didn’t let up. Ewan Stotesbery singled in the first run, and from there, run was the name of the game. Parrish and Jones both stole home, and after Jack Stotesbery doubled, his brother Ewan committed another felony at the plate.

Up 4-3, John LoPiccolo didn’t let the Hawks answer back in the third and fourth and then took matters into his own hands in the bottom of the fourth. Ewan Stotesbery walked with one out, Vincent Secchiano was hit, and LoPiccolo smoked a two out double to add a run.

Two runs to work with, LoPiccolo bent but didn’t break for his team. After getting the first two out, the Hawks scored two runs with a walk, a steal of home and a couple of singles.

All tied, the game stayed that way until the Hawks took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 8th. So the Lightning needed to strike, and they didn’t wait around for the static electricity to equalize.

James Maharaj and Matvey Wulfing stroked lead off singles, and after Parrish struck out, an infield hit by Jones tied the game. One more to go, Ewan Stotesbery singled and delivered the walk off 7-6 victory.

Onto the finals, BPR broke out first. They got to LoPiccolo for one in the first, but the pitcher did not have his bat or his wheels slowed.

He led off with a single and proceeded to steal second and third. A strikeout later, Gio Santoro kept it simple and scored his teammate on a fly out to center.

From there, LoPiccolo carried his team. He got two strikeouts in the second, one in the third and two more in the fifth. This while only allowing four baserunners in the next four innings.

Matched on the mound, Lewisboro still had work to do. Jones and Parrish then did their thing in the bottom of the fifth, and an insurance policy was next. No coverage against theft, BPR was also a victim. Ewan Stotesbery’s single sent Parrish to third, and Maharaj would steal home as the pinch runner.

Three outs to go, BPR did not go quietly. Two lead off singles had LoPiccolo facing a second and third with one out and the winning pitcher was big time. LoPiccolo got a pop to third, a strike out and a ground out to third securde the championship.

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