Blue Devils 10U sweep Christmas in July tournament

The Herald, Sharon, Pa.
·2 min read

Jul. 12—The Sharpsville Youth Baseball Association 10U All-Star team traveled to McKeesport for the inaugural "Christmas in July" tournament and brought home the championship.

Sharpsville bested an eight-team field with squads from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The winners' prize was the "biggest trophy in town" at nearly five-feet tall.

The Blue Devils went a perfect 4-0, earning the No. 1 seed and outscoring opponents by a combined score of 45-9, winning all but the finale by mercy rule. The 10U Blue Devils are now 10-0-1, with three tournament wins and a scoring differential of 130-31.

— Sharpsville 9, McKeesport Sting 1 (5 innings) — The Blue Devils opened pool play with a mercy-rule victory over the tournament host, led at the plate with two-hit performances from Elliot Campbell (double, single), Tyson Trufley and Dillon Wilson. Max Adkins and Gavin Burt also doubled in the win, while Cooper Nelson, Manny Roskos, Anthony Heutsche and Jacob Vassen also singled.

Roskos (three innings and six strikeouts) and Nelson (three innings and three strikeouts) combined for a 1-hitter on the mound.

— Sharpsville 15, Northeast Twins 0 (3 innings) — Up next in pool play, the Blue Devils beat the Northeast Twins (Salamanca, N.Y.), in another contest shortened by the mercy rule.

Adkins notched the two-hit shutout, striking out five, while the Devils rode a 14-hit outburst to the victory.

Trufley doubled and singled twice, while Heutsche (three RBIs) and Roskos (four RBIs) each doubled and singled. Wilson and Jacob Vassen (three RBIs) added two hits apiece, with Nelson, Adkins and Cullen Leary each contributing a base hit.

— Sharpsville 11, McKeesport Sting 2 (5 innings) — Sharpsville eliminated the host team in another five-inning win by mercy rule.

Trufley added another three-hit performance, while Heutsche and Adkins (three RBIs) each doubled and singled. Vassen (two RBIs), Leary and Wilson added singles.

Nelson (three innings) and Wilson (two innings and five strikeouts) collaborated on a four-hitter.

— Sharpsville 10, Burrell 6 — The Devils were tested by the powerhouse Burrell Bucs in the championship game but used a five-run outburst in the fourth to break open a tie game.

Wilson singled three times, Campbell (four RBIs) doubled and singled, and Nelson (two RBIs), Heutsche and Roskos added a pair of singles in the win. Leary and Gavin Burt also singled for Sharpsville.

Roskos (three innings pitched and six strikeouts), Campbell and Nelson pitched in the title tilt.