Local Sports

Norway, Kingsford to play for 9-10 title

Sternhagen’s gem evens the score

NORWAY -- With their backs up against the wall with one loss in the pre-district round, Norway's 9-10 year-old All-Stars cruised past top- seeded Kingsford 9-2 Thursday evening at Marion Park in Little League District 10 play.

Kingsford had defeated Norway in the tournament opener, 6-5 on July 8. The teams now meet for the championship at 5:30 p.m. today at Marion Park.

Norway pitcher Tyler Sternhagen was sensational Thursday, fanning seven, while allowing just one hit, a single to Luke Rice, and no runs over 5 1/3 innings. Sternhagen had the help of a three-run top of the first inning for Norway, a result of four Kingsford defensive miscues.

"Our fans were fantastic tonight. They were jacked up and so were our boys," said Norway head coach Scott Sternhagen. "We came out and scored some early runs, in both of the first two innings. We got the bat on the ball and put it in play."

Catcher Landon DeBakker smacked a two-run single for Norway, driving in Sternhagen and lead-off hitter Tucker Buchanan. DeBakker later scored on a wild pitch.

"We gave up six outs essentially in the first inning with all of our errors," said Kingsford head coach Ed McCoy. "We had jitters, I think it was because of it being a championship game and it showed."

Buchanan singled with one out in the top half of the second. Two batters later, with two outs, Norway first baseman Colton Lord drove in Buchanan. After DeBakker walked and Lord scored on a wild pitch, third baseman Tristan Lessor cracked a double, plating DeBakker to increase Norway's lead to 6-0.

In the bottom half of the second, Kingsford's Jake Fredrickson hit a fly into right field that was dropped by Hunter Langin of Norway. Langin, however, picked up the ball and fired it to Buchanan, who was covering second and tagged out Fredrickson trying to stretch an additional base out of the error.

Norway added a run in the top half of the third inning as Buchanan blasted a two-out triple over the head of the left fielder, nearly stretching it out to his second inside-the-park home run in as many games. Buchanan scored on a passed ball on the next batter.

"Our bats are coming along nicely. The way we're playing the last couple of games, this is the team I thought we could be," coach Sternhagen added. "Kingsford is a great team, and tomorrow night (tonight) will be fun."

In the top half of the final inning, Norway added two more runs as Lessor blasted another double, this time scoring Sternhagen and Lord, to increase Norway's lead to 9-0.

Kingsford added two runs in the last half of inning No. 6, but it was to no avail. Norway secured the win, forcing a winner-take-all game.

"Put it this way, Sternhagen shut us right down. He pitched one of the best games I have ever seen at this age group," McCoy stated. "We couldn't hit him and didn't until he got tired at the end."

Norway 3 3 1 0 0 2 -- 9/6/2

Kingsford 0 0 0 0 0 2 -- 2/1/5