SHORELINE — Henry McAree’s arm and bat gave the Cardinals the edge they needed to beat the Hawks 5-3 in the championship game of the Carter Subaru Richmond Little League majors division tournament June 11.
It was the second consecutive league title for the Cardinals (18-7) who returned eight 12-year-old players this season. Next up for the Cardinals is the Tournament of Champions, a single elimination tournament at Ballard High School’s Gilman Field, June 17, 19, 20.
In the final game at Shoreview Park, McAree pitched all six innings, giving up five hits and three unearned runs while striking out 12 and walking only two. He also gave the Cardinals the lead with a two-run triple down the right-field line in the bottom of the third inning.
“He did a great job today as usual,” manager Chase Parker said.
The Cardinals beat the Hawks 9-4 in a must-win game earlier in the day at Richmond Highlands. Pitcher Derek Ruddy threw a complete game, scattering five hits while striking out eight and walking three. But he did more damage with his bat.
With the Cardinals holding onto a 1-0 lead, he broke the game open with a grand slam to deep left field in the fifth inning. Ruddy, who went 3-for-3 with six RBI, singled in a run in the first and added a solo homer in the sixth.
After their victory at Shoreview Park in the nightcap, the Cardinals celebrated by dousing Parker with bottled water.
“They had the momentum,” Parker said. “As soon as we won the first game, we had the next game.”
In the second game, the Hawks struck in the top of the first when Michael King scored from second on an error. The Cardinals responded with three runs in the third. Finn Hofsteader led off with a walk and Gage Carrol smacked a double to set up McAree’s two-run triple off Hawks’ starter Derek Shellman. Ruddy’s groundout to second scored McAree. In the fourth, Sam Burdic ripped a shot over the left field fence to put the Cardinals up 4-1.
In the Hawks’ fifth, Hunter Codd doubled and scored on an error and Shellman reached base on a fielder’s choice, and later scored on error.
The Cardinals’ Eric Kimpton poked a home run to left field in the fifth for an insurance run.
“We have a great hitting corps and we did pretty well today,” Parker said.
In game one, Kimpton went 2-for-3 with a triple, three RBI and two runs scored for the Cardinals. Shellman led the Hawks’ offense with a two-run home run in the fifth inning. Cory Sonnega, who took the loss for the Hawks, pitched four innings and gave up five hits and five earned runs while striking out 10 and walking five.
The two teams played June 8 in the tournament and the Hawks (10-9) won that meeting 6-5. But with the championship on the line, the experienced Hawks’ hitting and pitching proved to be superior as they cruised to victory.
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