WATERVILLE — After a blemish to begin the tournament, Andy Valley ended the Cal Ripken 12U World Series on a rampage.
The Oxford Hills-based youngsters never came close to losing again after falling 2-1 to Weymouth, Massachusetts in the opening game. Their latest decisive win earned them the grandest prize in 46/60 Babe Ruth baseball.
Andy Valley defeated Weymouth 12-4 in Saturday’s championship game at Purnell Wrigley Field. The title win capped off a dominant seven-game run in which the team outscored opponents 72-8.
“Our bats were with us today,” said Andy Valley co-manager Joe Trybus. “That first game against them, we were really nervous, and it wasn’t quite us. That’s not to take anything away from them, but we wanted to come back and show what we were capable of.”
After a scoreless opening inning, Bryson Walker gave Andy Valley a 2-0 lead in the top of the second in the form of a one-out RBI single. The team would go on to add five more runs in the inning via a combination of hit batters and passed balls and RBI hits from Aiden Bean and Tucker Hilden.
Andy Valley third baseman Shawn West (10) makes a diving attempt at a ground ball against Weymouth in the Cal Ripken 12U World Series on Saturday in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
Tommy Byrne got a run back for Weymouth in the bottom of the third inning with an RBI double to the center field wall. The next batter, Dylan Fiori-Hess, then cut the Bay Staters’ deficit to 7-4 with a towering home run that easily cleared the left-center field fence.
Andy Valley, though, built the lead back, as Jacoby Boyce did exactly what he’d done the entire tournament: mash home runs of his own. He first homered off the scoreboard in center field to make it 8-4, then blasted one to left-center in the top of the six to make it 10-4. Andy Valley added runs on a fielder’s choice and an error to round out the scoring.
“They came back and fought us a bit, but I just told our kids, ‘Hey, we just won the first half of the game; now let’s go back out there and win the second half,’” Trybus said. “If you win both halves, you can’t lose, and that’s exactly what we went out there and did.”
There were, as Trybus might have hinted, a few moments of uncertainty as Weymouth cut Andy Valley’s lead in half in the third inning. Yet when ace reliever Rowen Pulkkinen took the mound in the fifth inning, second baseman Derrik Trybus knew he could take a deep breath.
“[I was nervous] a little bit, but I knew we had a good pitcher going,” said Trybus, who had a game-high three hits for Andy Valley in the victory. “I knew he could keep them right where they were.”
Boyce, who also pitched for Andy Valley, struck out eight batters over four innings of work before Pulkkinen’s two perfect frames sealed the game. Trybus, Boyce, Bean (two doubles), Walker (two singles) and Carter Davis (two singles) all had multiple hits in the win.
Andy Valley’s Jacoby Boyce (19) celebrates with teammate Ethan Godamsky (11) right, after hitting his second home run of the game in the Cal Ripken 12U World Series on Saturday at Purnell Wrigley Field in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
Andy Valley players had been hoping for a rematch with Weymouth ever since the loss in the opener last Saturday. The tournament’s format meant that could only happen if both teams reached the title game, which marked a fitting end to the tournament for the champions.
“When they faced the Ararat team, we wanted Weymouth to win because we wanted them to play us,” said Andy Valley left fielder and catcher Sawyer Poland. “We didn’t want them to just walk away without seeing us again.”
Boyce, who hit four home runs in the tournament and a combined three in the semifinal and championship games, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Sportsmanship awards were also given in each division with Ararat winning the American division’s award and Shenandoah winning the National award.
The afternoon championship bracket final and morning consolation bracket final, won by Noble 5-2 over Central Vermont, marked the final games of the eight-day tournament. Representatives from all 12 teams, even those that had been eliminated a few days earlier, stuck around for the closing ceremonies and awards presentations.
“I think that says a lot about Waterville and the great job the people here did,” Joe Trybus said. “They made it enjoyable, they made you want to be here, and they made it about the kids. That’s what baseball is all about.”
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