Andy Valley won the 11U Cal Ripken New England Regional championship Thursday in Waterville. Players include: Carter Davis, Rowen Pulkkinen, Shawn West, Ethan Godomsky, Aiden Bean, Bryson Walker, Bentley Worden, Jacoby Boyce, Poland Sawyer, Derrik Trybus, Coltin Rolfe, Tucker Hilden. Submitted photo
The Andy Valley 11U baseball team won its first Cal Ripken New England championship on Thursday with a 7-5 victory in the title game at Purnell Wrigley Field in Waterville.
With the score tied at 4-4 after five innings, Andy Valley scored three runs in the sixth and held off EM Chelmsford for the title.
“Today’s game, we played states and regionals back to back weeks, but I would say today’s game was the most exciting,” Andy Valley coach Joe Trybus said. “We won 7-5, 4-4 going into the last inning, back and forth, we picked up a three-spot and they only got one.”
Trybus said he gets asked who the best player is, or who the player of the game was, all the time but that it changes from game to game and is what makes his team special.
“The nicest thing about this team is that people ask all the time who our best player is, and I can honestly say every night it’s someone else that steps up,” Trybus said. “We had a big hit in the (final) inning but we had two pitchers split the game. Our third baseman made some great plays and got a hit and that’s how we are. I’d have to mention five or six guys but I would rather stick with the team. We come as one, play as one, leave as one.”
Andy Valley isn’t going to go to nationals this season, but the 12U Cal Ripken national tournament will be played in Waterville next season and his team gets an automatic bid for winning on Thursday.
“They caught wind of the special invite, I am the league president as well, so they knew what was on the line,” Trybus said. “When we heard that in the fall, that’s been the focus all winter and all spring and God bless ‘em, they actually did it. Right now they’re all excited and happy with the opportunity they’ve earned.”
Andy Valley lost to Chelmsford in group play 5-4, but went 3-0 in the single-elimination rounds to win the title. Andy Valley beat Brunswick 4-0 a week prior for the Maine state title.
Team members include: Carter Davis, Rowen Pulkkinen, Shawn West, Ethan Godomsky, Aiden Bean, Bryson Walker, Bentley Worden, Jacoby Boyce, Poland Sawyer, Derrik Trybus, Coltin Rolfe, Tucker Hilden.
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