The Kal Tire Storm stopped the Union Securities Reds 11-8 in the Vernon Baseball Association Pee Wee playoff final Sunday at Creekside Park.
The Reds, coached by Carl Vardon, started with Ethan Sawka hitting a single and pitching a solid first inning.
The Storm answered back with strong pitching by Connor London and awesome play by catcher Brett Lambert.
The second inning was highlighted by Tony Campen’s great catch at third to shut down the Storm. Campen also smacked a two-run single and showed some great base stealing to score a run. Sawka continued his consistent pitching.
In the third inning, the Reds’ Ethan Huizinga drove in Sawka and there was a great defensive play from catcher Noah Foufoulas to first baseman Hayden Vardon.
The Reds led 8-7 going into the sixth, but the Storm rallied back with a run-scoring single by Thomas Love and a RBI-double by Hayden Broderick to take the lead.
The Storm’s Aaron Fairburn pitched a powerful closing inning to clinch the Pee Wee title under coach Todd Woon.
In Saturday action, Union Securities outlasted the C & A Contracting Royals 14-13.
Stellar pitching by Hayden Vardon and excellent base running and stealing by Eric Embleton, Foufoulas, Tyler Braun, Taylor Scott and Correy Anderson is what allowed the Reds to advance to the final.
Braun’s awesome two-out rally hit was stopped cold by the Royals’ Bailey Wellman with some quick glove work.
The Reds’ Taylor Scott closed down the Royals with a three-strike final out, and left the tying run on third.
Earlier Saturday, the Reds brushed back the Anchor Inn Panthers 15-3 behind the superb pitching of Hunter Kreuger.
Morgan Johnson went 2-for-3, while some amazing glove work from Teag Dohorty of the Panthers was not enough.
Sawka pitched two strong innings and didn’t allow a run. Heavy hitting from Vardon, Embleton and Huizinga helped clinch the win.
