- November 5, 2024
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Kiwanis had two players hit six homers each this season.
Kiwanis scored five runs in the first inning June 2, in the Majors division championship of Palm Coast Little League, en route to a 10-5 win over JC Marine.
Kiwanis (17-5-1) advanced to the Little League Tournament of Champions — a double-elimination tournament featuring nine other Little League champions.
After the big first inning, Kiwanis scored one run in the third and two in the fourth. Then in the top of the fifth, Kiwanis pitcher Bobby Sparling launched a solo homer to left field. After five innings, Kiwanis led, 10-3.
Sparling reached the 85-pitch limit, and Ayden Craig came on in relief to finish the game in the sixth inning. Craig struck out a JC Marine hitter looking to end the game.
Kiwanis coach Doug Berryhill, who has been coaching baseball for about 24 years, said his team was loaded with experience.
“At the end of the day, the team I was fortunate to coach had a little more experience and that maybe gave us a little bit of an edge,” he said.
Sparling and Craig each hit six home runs during the season.
“While some of the boys have more experience and have developed a little more as players, we had 11 boys on our team, and they were all wonderful to be with, and they all contributed in a lot of ways to the enjoyment that we had this season,” Berryhill said.
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Kiwanis, winner of District 19, competed Monday, June 4, in the Tournament of Champions against Deltona Little League.
Kiwanis trailed 6-2 after four innings. Then Deltona rallied in the fifth inning to increase the lead and won 12-2, over Palm Coast.
Next up, Kiwanis plays South Putnam Little League 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 6.
LITTLE LEAGUE WINNERS
• American Radionics (coach David Febus) — Senior Baseball Division champions
• Kiwanis (coach Doug Berryhill) — Major Baseball Division champions
• VFW (Wes Arnold) — Softball Senior Division champions
• Flagler County Sports Fishing (Tim Gibson) — Softball Major Division champions
