State title at stake for Lewes major all-stars in Wilmington

Out of darkness comes light?

The last time Lewes major all-stars lost a game, it was a scrimmage against Camden-Wyoming July 6. In response, the lads rattled off three straight to take the District 3 title. In the opening game of the state tournament July 22, Lewes lost a heartbreaker, 3-2, to MOT Little League. 

Ayden Jester took the mound for Lewes and looked sharp, along with his defense, through the first 2.2 innings. Down to their final out of the inning, the District 1 champs took advantage of a few mishaps to open the scoring and take a 1-0 lead in the third inning.

Lewes evened the game in the top of the fourth when Phoenix Condon ignited a two-out rally with a base hit to center field. Condon took second on a passed ball during Ben Pease’s at bat and came around to score when Lucca Fazio smoked a worm burner into left field. Pease, who walked in his at bat, advanced to third base on the play, but he and Fazio were left on base when the inning ended.

A quick fourth put Lewes in the batter’s boxes again, and this time the boys got started before the outs came. Brody Fazio singled before Grant Hershelman walked. A fielder’s choice the next at bat resulted in the first out, and Fazio at third base and Mason Thompson on first. Lucas Skonieczki rolled one to shortstop as Brody Fazio broke for home. Nearly simultaneously, Fazio touched home as Skonieczki beat out the potential inning-ending double play, giving Lewes a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.

As tension rippled across both dugouts, and the stands, MOT quickly got runners on the corners. Third baseman Lucca Fazio and catcher Brody Fazio connected for the first out when the Lucca fielded a grounder and the Brody applied the tag at the plate. MOT, however, snatched back momentum with a two-run triple the next at bat to take a 3-2 lead.

Condon nearly lit up a two-out rally again in the sixth inning, this time walking with Jackson McGinley on first to move McGinley into scoring position. Pease’s at bat ushered in the top of the order and a renewed hope for Lewes, but what looked like a surefire base knock was grabbed out of the air to end the game 3-2 in MOT’s favor.

Lewes will take the field in an elimination game at 7 p.m., July 24 at Naamans Little League in Wilmington. The light-blue crew will square off against the loser of the July 23 game between MOT and Brandywine, the District 2 champion.