It’s the Majors AA Championship at Nike Park on Naperville Little League Baseball Championship Day. We’re in for a great matchup between DHJJ Yaks and the Sno Problems Blizzards. The Yaks have been the top seed all season long, thanks in part to players like Deacon Artis and pitchers Mason Kane and Cash Walker. Sno Problems may be the hottest team in the postseason, winning 7 of 8 after a 4-9 start to the year behind the strong play of Benny Greiner and Conrad Murphy. Levi Osorio, who threw a complete game in the semifinals, is in attendance for the Blizzards in cutout form for the championship. The Majors AA division is sponsored by Guzman Y Gomez.
The Blizzards load the bases in the early going for a 1-0 lead
In the top of the first, Griffin Colgan draws a walk to give Sno Problems an early baserunner.
Tyler Harland steps up to the plate. Harland grounds into a fielder’s choice as AJ Walters fields and shovels to Palmer Ochenkowski, who ends Colgan’s journey at second base.
Pitcher Mason Kane looks to shake off the championship game jitters but struggles to find the zone early against Sno problems hitters Patrick Wolski and Asher Volin, leading to walks, which loads the bases with two outs at the top of the first.
With Camden Collins at the plate, it’s a wild pitch. Harland races for home plate and is safe as Collins cheers him on. The Blizzards capitalize on the DHJJ miscues as Sno Problems leads 1-0.
The Blizzards continue applying the pressure after Collins walks to load the bases once again. Avoiding any further damage, Mason Kane finishes off the inning with a strikeout and keeps the score at 1-0.
DHJJ quickly answers in the bottom of the first and takes the lead in the second inning
Kane is up to bat first in the bottom half while looking to swing things around as he lines a ball to right field. After an error, Kane is able to reach second base to give DHJJ a leadoff runner.
After a swift steal from Kane to reach third, he takes advantage of a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1 as he comes home with the equalizer.
In the top of the second, Kane gets back-to-back strikeouts to start the frame, but the Blizzards show their patience by drawing three straight walks starting with Evan Furby, followed by Logan Intoccia and Griffin Colgan to load the bases for a second straight inning.
Kane is able to regain control and strand all three baserunners with his third strikeout of the inning to end the frame.
Krew Kniss, who recovered from a broken kneecap suffered during the offseason, starts the bottom of the second with a walk for the Yaks with Jack Aister up next.
Not wasting any time, Aister triples on a line drive the other way toward the fence in right field. Kniss comes home for the 2-1 lead as DHJJ takes its first lead of the afternoon at 2-1.
Looking to keep the momentum going, AJ Walters hits a ground ball to Blizzard second baseman, Brooks McKenna who gets the out with this nice spinning throw to Wolski at first. Aister is able to come in to score on the play as Walters helps expand the Yak lead to 3-1.
Sno Problems looks to pitcher Asher Volin to stop the DHJJ momentum, and he does so with a strikeout to end the second inning with a two-run deficit.
In the top of the third, Patrick Wolski is hit by a pitch and Asher Volin walks with one out for Sno Problems. Camden Collins chops a grounder to third where AJ Walters beats pinch runner Tyler Harland to the bag for the second out.
Jack Walsh looks to pull the Blizzards closer, but Mason Kane escapes another jam, fielding the grounder and tossing to Mark Whitt covering first base to end the top of the third.
A big fourth inning for DHJJ puts them ahead by six runs
In the bottom of the fourth, DHJJ looks to stay hot after a leadoff single from Palmer Ochenkowski. Mark Whitt hits a ball to second, where Brooks McKenna makes the catch. His throw is off the mark as Ochenkowski gets back safely.
Krew Kniss is back up to bat for DHJJ with two outs. His swing connects for an RBI double as Ochenkowski motors around the bases to score from first as the Yaks take a 4-1 lead.
Jack Aister looks to keep DHJJ rolling as he pulls the ball to deep right field. It’s over the fence for a two-run homer as the Yaks make it a 6-1 ballgame on the bomb from Aister.
The inning is not over yet as Brian Yeo follows an AJ Walters hit by pitch by lining a solid single into center field.
Carter Laga keeps the line moving with an infield single that takes a tough hop through the infield to load the bases. Walters later makes it 7-1 after scoring on a wild pitch to wrap up the fourth inning.
Relief pitcher Cash Walker takes control on the mound, mowing down the Sno Problems with a pair of scoreless innings as the Yaks maintain the big lead.
Moving to the bottom of the fifth. After Michael Klos is hit by a pitch with one out, Mason Kane hits a hard line drive into right field as Klos heads to third.
Palmer Ochenkowski then hits a hard ground ball and reaches as the Blizzards are unable to handle the short hop. Michael Klos heads to home plate to extend the lead to 8-1.
The Sno Problems continue to make plays in the field as Cash Walker looks to drop a hit into left center, but Tyler Harland makes the over-the-shoulder catch for the second out.
DHJJ Yaks cruise to the 2025 Majors AA Naperville Little League City Championship
Next up is Mark Whitt, who drops a single between several Blizzard defenders as Mason Kane comes in to score from second, and Ochenkowski heads to third. The Yaks go up 9-1.
10-1 DHJJ with the lead after a wild pitch. Krew Kniss hits a hard grounder to third. Jack Walsh makes a nice snag and connects on the long throw to Evan Furby to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth with two outs and a runner on first, Cash Walker gets Brooks McKenna to hit a grounder to Will Schmudde at second base. After a bobble, he recovers and throws to Mason Kane for the out, and DHJJ wins the Majors AA Naperville Little League Championship 10-1 over Sno Problems! Despite allowing double-digit walks, it’s a combined no-hitter for Walker and Kane! The Yaks end a memorable season with a 21-2 record while the Blizzard can hold their heads high following a great Cinderella run to the title game.
You can find all the Naperville Little League highlights and the full show on the NCTV17 Community Sports Page!
