Dover 11-year-old stars claim 60-foot state championship; qualify for regionals in Maine

Al Pike
·4 min read
The Dover Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot all-stars show off their bling after winning the state championship Saturday with an 8-5 win over Concord in Dover
The Dover Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot all-stars show off their bling after winning the state championship Saturday with an 8-5 win over Concord in Dover
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DOVER – Slow starts plagued the Dover Cal Ripken all-stars throughout their best-of-3 championship series against Concord.

But they didn’t prevent the host team from achieving its goal. Dover rallied from an early three-run deficit Saturday morning in a winner-take-all final and captured the 11-year-old, 60-foot title with an 8-5 victory on Keays Field at Beckwith Park.

Dover pitcher Parker Redman, left, tags out Concord's Ethan Hill at home trying to score on a passed ball as both players await the umpire's call during Saturday's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot championship game in Dover.
Dover pitcher Parker Redman, left, tags out Concord's Ethan Hill at home trying to score on a passed ball as both players await the umpire's call during Saturday's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot championship game in Dover.

“We’ve come out slow the last few games,” said Dover head coach George Kinnicutt. “Luckily we were able to put some runs on the board a lot sooner than we did before but it was really nerve-wracking in the very beginning of that game.”

Trailing 3-0, the Dover All-Stars went ahead to stay with a five-run third inning. They added an insurance run in the fourth and two in the fifth, and needed them in the sixth.

From the left, Dover's Brady Caswell, Peter Leggett and Mason Legere celebrate after clinching the Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot state title Saturday morning in Dover.
From the left, Dover's Brady Caswell, Peter Leggett and Mason Legere celebrate after clinching the Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot state title Saturday morning in Dover.

Down 8-4, Concord scored once in the final frame and had runners on second and third with the potential tying run at the plate with two outs when Kinnicutt summoned closer Slayter Saucier to relieve starter Parker Redman.

“I had a lot of confidence in him,” said Redman, who also made a nice play in the second inning when he tagged a runner out at the plate who was trying to score on a passed ball.

Dover's Oscar Kinnicutt ducks under a high pitch during Saturday morning's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot championship game in Dover.
Dover's Oscar Kinnicutt ducks under a high pitch during Saturday morning's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot championship game in Dover.

Saucier retired the game’s final batter on an infield grounder to earn the save. Redman threw 74 pitches in 5 2/3 innings.

“I didn’t wake up and think that I was going to have (Redman) pitch a complete game today,” Kinnicutt said. “I thought I was going to have to go to one or two other people but he was just dealing so well. He was on fire, getting out of jams any time he got into one. At the end I really wanted to leave him out there but I didn’t want to Grady Little the whole situation. I wanted to make sure that I thought with my head and got with my fireballer to get that last out.

“You can’t use your emotions,” he added. “You’ve got to go with what’s right for the team.”

Dover shortstop Slayter Saucier, left, is a little late with the tag as Concord's Hagan Cook is safe at second base during Saturday's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot championship game in Dover
Dover shortstop Slayter Saucier, left, is a little late with the tag as Concord's Hagan Cook is safe at second base during Saturday's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot championship game in Dover

Dover, which advanced to the regional next weekend in Mechanic Falls, Maine, featured a balanced attack with all nine starters reaching base at least once. Danny Tolend had two hits and two RBIs including an RBI single in the big third that put his team in front to stay.

“It’s huge,” Redman said of the state championship. “Last year we lost but this year it feels good to win.”

Brady Caswell also had a pair of hits, including a double, and scored twice and Peter Leggett finished with two hits and two RBIs. Dover had nine hits and also benefited from seven walks.

Saucier had a hit and reached base three times and No. 9 hitter Colin Flynn walked twice and scored twice. Leggett, Saucier, Oscar Kinnicutt, Tolend and Redman each had an RBI in the decisive third inning that ended with Dover leading 5-3.

“We didn’t lose confidence,” Redman said of the early deficit. “We just kept going and we got up and won the game.”

Dover's Parker Redman was the winning pitcher in Saturday's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot state championship game against Concord in Dover.
Dover's Parker Redman was the winning pitcher in Saturday's Cal Ripken 11-year-old, 60-foot state championship game against Concord in Dover.

Concord pulled within 5-4 with a run in the top of the fourth but Dover matched it in the home half to regain its two-run lead. Dover scored twice in the fifth to make it 8-4 and the runs proved to be big when Concord made some noise in the sixth.

“It feels great,” said second baseman Mason Legere, who knocked in a run with an infield single in the fifth. “It's awesome.”

George Kinnicutt called Tolend the MVP of the tournament for his all-around game.

“It’s my first time playing all-stars so it's great,” Tolend said. “I think our whole team thought we were all going to make it to regionals. We didn’t know both teams were going until after the game.”

Dover spotted Concord three runs in the first two innings on an RBI single by Will Racine in the first and a run-scoring by Charlie Sides in the second followed by Wyatt Rainie’s RBI double.

“We’ve just got to get out and get on the bases,” George KInnicutt said of his message to the players after falling behind. “It’s just getting the bats moving, getting really good at-bats and just working the counts and letting the pitcher make a mistake.”

“I think we all thought we could get a rally because normally every game now we struggle on the first pitcher,” Tolend said, “and then we just rally.”

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover 11-year-old stars claim 60-foot state championship