The Abington Blue Major Little League Baseball team won a District 17 title to reach the Section 5 Tournament where it had its season come to an end July 20.
Abington went 1-2 in the section tournament in Drums and was eliminated with an 11-4 loss to Valley East, the host team it had beaten in the tournament’s first round.
After beating Valley West 2-1, Abington fell into the elimination bracket when it lost to Back Mountain 4-2.
Valley East scored five times in the third inning and three more in the fourth to avenge its first-round loss.
Valley East got off to a good start when Isaac Richards clubbed a two-run homer in the first.
Abington scored a run in the first on a double by Vincie Pricci and added another run in the third. Billy Dempsey reached on a fielder’s choice and eventually scored on a groundout by Declan Grady.
Valley East, though, turned its one-run lead into an 8-2 advantage in the third. Richards tripled to start the inning and scored on a double by Brantlee Butcher.
Dempsey had an RBI single in the fifth, and Evan Ross had an RBI single in the sixth to account for Abington’s other runs.
Winning pitcher Max Shursky had two hits in the first meeting with Valley East.
Back Mountain’s Jack Katyl threw a four-hitter, scored a run and drove in another against Abington.
Jaxon Hizny homered for the only earned run off Katyl.
Abington reached the section tournament with back-to-back wins over Moosic.
After advancing through pool play, Abington beat Dunmore 11-2, then posted 12-2 and 3-2 wins over Moosic.
Cory Spangenberg, who went from the Abington Little League all the way to a career in Major League Baseball, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the July 11 championship game.
Caleb Engerman scored the game-winning run by coming home on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth.
Evan Ross struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings. Shortstop Carson Walsh started a double play in the top of the sixth inning, and Shursky came on in relief to get the final out.
Shursky had an RBI double, and Brad McDonald drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning.
Grady had two hits in the win.
Intermediate 50-70
Abington was one of seven teams represented at the state Intermediate 50-70 Tournament in Shikellamy in mid-July.
The team lost both games, falling to East Stroudsburg 21-4 and Indiana 18-3.
