Pennridge Powers Way to District 20 Title

	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E
Pennridge	3	0	4	0	3	0	10	9	0
Lehigh	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	4	4

WP: Funk LP: Dotta

Broadcast: LISTEN

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“We did it for Pennridge.” Max Wiren summed it up for his squad. He added, “we’re not done yet.” for the fans in Perkasie, bringing home the first District 20 Majors title since 2016 for Pennridge Little League.

Following four days off from tournament play, the boys from Pennridge were eager to take the field at their home complex. Pennridge built an unmatchable lead on power, notching two home runs and pounded out nine hits against a Lehigh squad that had made their way back through the elimination bracket.

For the last nine years, teams from Perkasie have gotten close, but watched only Lehigh and Southern Lehigh claim district titles. This group was well prepared and gave Pennridge its first sectional berth since 2016. Martin Wiren, Tucker Chapman, Jackson Funk and more all played large roles in a game where Pennridge did not give up any easy outs. Whenever Lehigh made a mistake, Pennridge was there to capitalize and all the bounces went their way in this one.

Pennridge started out strong after losing the coin toss and being designated the away team for the contest. Tucker Chapman worked a full count walk, one of the five full counts that Perkasie batters would face. Spoiler alert: four of those would end up with the batter on base. Despite Chapman being erased on a fielders choice, Jordan Ritter would reach and go to second on a wild pitch. He came home on a Mags Rivera pop that landed between the second baseman and center fielder, making the score 1-0.

Martin Wiren then hit a crushing home run to deep left center field, making the lead 3-0 and setting the tone against Lehigh’s ace pitcher Chase Dotta. Dotta would need 25 pitches to get through the opening frame.

“I really just hit it not that well to be honest. I hit it off the end and I just watched it fly.”

Manager Nate Ritter spoke on Max, “The mentality we have is the team who has the most fun wins. Martin is a perfect example. Him and his best friend Jackson [Funk], who started on the mound has the word ‘fun’ in his name, so at the end of the day, those two are always smiling. We keep preaching the things we do as a coaching staff and these kids buy into it.”

Max added more about his team, “Greyson hits the ball well. Tucker had another home run today. We have a lot of good players up and down the lineup that really hit the ball. Tucker, really nice plays at shortstop; Jackson pitched really well. It was just really fun to play this game.”

Funk cruised through the bottom of the inning on just six throws. All outs were put in play, but three consecutive outs recorded on first-pitch swings stranded Dallas Cruz on first.

The first two reached for Pennridge in the second, as Gavin DeMilt singled through the hole at short and Jack Walters worked a full count walk. Landon Ambruch laid down a perfect bunt back to Dotta, moving both into scoring position with one out. Dotta helped himself out of trouble by striking out Rocky Alba on three straight pitches, before Hannah Wheeler was retired on an easy grounder to first.

The third inning was a microcosm of the afternoon for both sides, as Pennridge began to pile on in earnest. Jackson Funk led off the frame by reaching on a dropped third strike that dribbled slowly to the backstop. He then headed to second on a pickoff play that went off his helmet and bounced away. Greyson Orsino then walked to put two on with no outs.

Then the night turned worse for the team from Bethlehem. Jordan Ritter smashed a ball off of Dotta’s leg, allowing him to reach first base and for two runs to score. Had Dotta not been injured, he would have had a play at home on Orsino coming in from second base. As it stood, Pennridge led 5-0 and Lehigh needed to change pitchers. They chose Joey DeNisi, who got his first action on the mound in the tournament. He induced a groundball off the bat of Rivera that brought Chapman home. Two batters later, Ritter scored on a wild pitch before Jonah Los struck out swinging. As the dust settled, Pennridge led 7-0. With six more pitches, Funk got through the bottom of the inning.

Lehigh set Pennridge up for more success in the fourth; Gavin DeMilt reached on a dropped third strike and went to second on a snap throw from Jack Cresci that went wide. He would be ultimately stranded at third, giving Lehigh a slight reprieve.

Lehigh then went to work in their half of the fourth, mounting the largest threat of the day. Lambros Dontas worked a leadoff walk from his 12-spot in the lineup. As the lineup turned over, and following a conference on the mound between coaches and Jackson Funk, Jackson Neeb pummeled a ball out to center field for a 2RBI home run. This finally chased Funk from the mound, giving way to Jordan Ritter, who walked Dallas Cruz on four pitches. Later in the inning Zane Balaziuk doubled up the middle to score DeNisi and cut the lead to 7-3. A dugout once silent and possibly tired from playing late into the night the evening before, was finally alive and cheering.

Pennridge wasn’t having it. Jackson Funk again reached on a strange play, as second baseman Colin Cramer misplayed a ball. Two batters later, Chapman became the fourth Pennridge batter to launch one beyond the fence in the district tournament. Lehigh’s hard work was quickly undone as the team from Perkasie led 9-3.

For the second time in the tournament, Pennridge defeated Lehigh. Lehigh had played the night before until 10:30, getting through a four hour rain delay and knocking off three-time defending district champions and bitter rival Southern Lehigh. At the end of the day, the team appeared to run out of gas against a very fresh Pennridge squad that kept the pressure up all afternoon.

Nate Ritter spoke about his team, “I’m real proud of the team. I don’t really know what to say. We’re such a great family. I truly just believe in them. When one struggles, the next picks them up. We’re a very deep team with pitching, though didn’t really have to burn through too many pitches. We’ve been working together for five years now and it’s nice to see it all come together and move on to the next round. We’ve got a lot more work to do.”

“We just knew we had to get the job done. We knew we had to pull it off at our home,” said Wiren of how his team was looking at it.

On the day, Wiren finished with a 3RBI effort. Ritter, Rivera, and Chapman all knocked in two a piece. Pennridge pitching held Lehigh to four hits on the afternoon.

Pennridge will open Section 6 play in Tamaqua on Saturday at 10:00AM against the champion of District 30. Lenape Valley and Council Rock Newtown are battling for that crown.