The Naperville Little League Baseball Supreme AA City Championship features an exciting matchup on a hot and sunny Saturday between Paramount Fence, who enters the game with a 20-1 record, and R.J. O’Neil with a record of 17-6. Paramount Fence won the previous matchup between the two teams in a thriller, 6-5. Paramount Fence, also known as “The Big O” due to their bright orange jerseys are without the services of Ryder Kopinski who is in uniform and assisting in any way he can despite a broken elbow. R.J. O’Neil, made it to the final game behind strong play from the likes of Carter Laga, Nate Kurtz, Ethan Kim and Logan Intoccia, who help make up the roster of the team known as “Smash”. Remember to order a personal copy of the game by visiting the NCTV17 online store and purchasing an MP4 download!
R.J. O’Neil strikes first
The very first batter of the game starts things off with a smash into right center field as Nolan Page knocks a single for R.J. O’Neil. He then goes on to steal second a few moments later.
Up next is Levi Osorio who lofts a pop fly behind first base. Will Papp makes a great backpedaling catch for the first out of the inning. Page tags up at second base and heads to third.
Cash Walker then heads to the plate and he to hits one the other way as the ball drops into right field. Will Schmudde hustles over to get the ball in as Page comes in to score as the Smash get on the board first on the rbi single from Walker.
Paramount Fence evens the score
To the bottom half of the first for Paramount Fence, one of the top teams in Naperville Little League this spring as Cole Sawsich slices a hit the other way into right. Ethan Kim races over to field the ball, but Sawsich can fly as he scampers into third base for a one-out triple.
Krew Kniss is the next batter and he lines a single into left center to score the runner from third. Ethan Zimmer cuts the ball off nicely and fires it in. Pitcher AJ Walters makes a great sliding stop and throws to Nate Kurtz, who tags out Kniss at second base. Heads up play from the defense.
Two out in the inning now with Will Papp on second base. Griffin Colgan gets a good swing on this pitch, but Ethan Zimmer has it well played and makes the catch to end the inning all tied at 1-1.
The Big O breaks out in the second inning
After a scoreless top of the second, Brady Galindo bats for Paramount Fence and gets an infield single hustling down the line to put two runners on with nobody out.
Next up is Will Schmudde who hits one back to the mound. AJ Walters turns to third base and makes the throw in time, with Brian Yeo wisely covering the bag to force Will Sawsich for the out.
Next up is Luke Raddatz who uses a keen eye to draw the walk and load the bases as Paramount Fence looks to take the lead for the first time.
Cooper Cisowski steps to the plate and slaps a single the other way into left field. Galindo comes into score on the rbi single as the Big O takes a 2-1 lead.
Leadoff hitter Declan Kelliher then pulls a low and inside pitch in between first and second base for another rbi hit. Schmudde and Raddatz come around to score as Kelliher runs to second on the throw home. Paramount Fence takes a 4-1 advantage.
Following a pitching change and an rbi triple from Cole Sawsich, Krew Kniss drills a line drive to deep left that gets over everyone’s head. The ball gets stuck in the fence for a ground rule double as Sawsich scores. Paramount Fence now with a 7-1 lead at the end of the second inning.
The Smash need to get some offense going and Jack Lynch comes through as he lays off this pitch to draw the walk to put a runner on base in the top of the third.
However, Paramount pitcher Cole Sawsich gets into a groove as he gets a strikeout with some nice break on this ball to end the frame with no further damage.
Leading off the bottom of the third is Griffin Colgan who powers a single into center field.
Up next is Will Sawsich who drops a single into right field to add another hit to the ledger for the Big O.
Ryder Greene then steps to the plate and bloops a single into center field. Logan Inotccia gets the ball in quickly and nearly gets the force out at second as the bases are now loaded. Colgan and Sawsich would come in to score on a walk and a wild pitch to make it 9-1 Paramount Fence.
Two outs in the inning and Cooper Cisowski at the plate. It’s a wild pitch, but catcher Declan Todd quickly gets to the ball and throws home to Cash Walker covering. Brady Galindo beats the throw, but his hand misses home plate. Walker then makes the tag to end the inning.
Paramount Fence puts the game away in the fourth to win the Championship
Still trailing 9-1, R.J. O’Neil needs some runs in a major way and Nolan Page does his part with a leadoff single to start the top of the fourth. That is the second hit of the game for Page.
Levi Osorio is up next, looking for back-to-back singles, but Will Papp makes a good play at second base to throw out Page at second. Osorio is too fast for Will Sawsich to try for the double play. The Smash are unable to add to their total in the fourth.
Brian Yeo is in to pitch after Cooper Cisowski gets on base to start the bottom of the fourth. Declan Kelliher then drives one into left for a double that gets to the wall as Cisowski comes all the way around to score from first. The Big O in a dancing mood as one more run will end the Naperville Little League Supreme AA Championship as Paramount Fence is on the brink.
Cole Sawsich is up next and he continues to pummel the baseball with his third base hit of the contest. Kelliher heads for home. Check out the big-time throw from Logan Ontoccia from center field that nearly gets the runner at the plate, but Kelliher just beats the tag from Declan Todd to score the final run. Paramount Fence wins the Naperville Little League Supreme AA Championship game by the score of 11-1. R.J. O’Neil finishes as the runner-up after an outstanding year, but on this day, the Big O showed why they are the top team in the city with an impressive win to end their season.
