Share: 

Lewes 8-10 All-Stars win District 3 title

Cape Region team advances to state tournament July 26-30
The Lewes 8-10 All-Stars are the 2023 District 3 Little League champions after defeating Millsboro 7-4 July 12. The team will begin their chase for a state title July 26 at Camden-Wyoming Little League in District 1. Shown in back are (l-r) manager Blake Hershelman, assistant coach Zach Fazio and assistant coach Mike Sanchez. In front are Chase Sanchez, Finn Kane, Grant Hershelman, Ben Pease, Lucas Sconieczki, Lucca Fazio, Nolan Jones, Ayden Jester, Brody Fazio, Mike DiMuzio and Mason Thompson. AARON MUSHRUSH PHOTOS
Aaron R. Mushrush
July 13, 2023

The Lewes 8-10 All-Stars are the 2023 District 3 champions after defeating Millsboro 7-4 July 12 in Bridgeville. The game followed a July 11 loss to Millsboro in the first game of the championship round. 

The July 11 game started out well for Lewes. Lead-off batter Ben Pease opened the game with a single and would eventually score on a Lucca Fazio double. In the bottom half of the first, Fazio threw out a Millsboro runner attempting to steal second.

In the second inning, Lewes outfielder Finn Kaine collected the first of two RBI singles, driving in Mason Thompson to give Lewes a 2-0 lead.

Despite the runs, Millsboro pitcher Dylon Deloy struck out the side in each of the first two innings, limiting any damage Lewes was able to cause.

After collecting another two strikeouts in the top of the third inning, Deloy came to the plate in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded. Lining a ball over the heads of Lewes outfielders, his bases-clearing triple put Millsboro up 3-2. On the very next pitch, a passed ball allowed Deloy to advance home to make it 4-2. The four runs would be enough as Millsboro cruised to a 7-3 victory.

Millsboro was the only team to defeat Lewes in the District 3 tournament. An earlier loss to Lower Sussex meant Millsboro needed to beat Lewes twice to claim the title.

Following their lowest offensive output of the tournament, Lewes’ offense came back to life to start the second game July 12. 

Lewes took a 3-0 early lead, as Pease, first baseman Grant Hershelman and Fazio all crossed the plate in the opening frame.

Fazio was on the mound and was able to strike out two Millsboro batters to maintain the 3-0 lead. In the second inning, the Millsboro offense came to life and scored two runs to cut the lead to one run. Chase Sanchez took over in the second inning for Fazio and proceeded to shut off the faucet. 

Throwing 80 pitches across four innings, Sanchez struck out five and only surrendered one earned run to silence the Millsboro bats. The incoming Lewes Elementary fourth-grader attacked the zone efficiently and was backed by stellar defense.

“When I am pitching, I really trust my teammates in the infield and outfield to make the play,” Sanchez said.

Fundamentals were on display when Millsboro was in the field as well, as the squad buckled down following the first inning. Lewes was able to add a run in the third and two more in the fifth inning to take a 6-2 lead. The top of the fifth ended when Ayden Jester fired a shot into the right field gap. Millsboro centerfielder Cooper Lewis pulled off the impossible with a highlight-reel catch, diving to his left, flattening out his body and securing the catch through an impressive dive.

Millsboro used the momentum to plate two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Lewes responded in the top of the final inning, scoring another run.

Mike DiMuzio took over on the mound for Sanchez in the bottom of the sixth inning. Millsboro’s Kamron Henderson reached base on a walk with one out, putting the top of the order up to the plate. Lewis, who made the grab in the fifth inning, launched a ball into the Lewes outfield, but it was caught, and Millsboro was down to their final out.

Millsboro’s Brody Snyder battled to a full count, but DiMuzio got Snyder looking on the final pitch to secure the victory for Lewes. Fazio quickly raced out to embrace DiMuzio and within seconds, the dogpile began.

In a display of sportsmanship, the two teams gathered for a post-game picture following an intense tournament and suspenseful two-game series. 

With the victory, Lewes will represent District 3 in the state tournament. The team will need to head farther north on Route 13, as the next round is in District 1 at Camden-Wyoming Little League. The round is scheduled to be held July 26-30.

 

Lewes catcher Lucca Fazio stands on second with a smile after driving in a run on a double in the top of the first inning July 11.
Lewes right fielder Mason Thompson goes upstairs to notch a single to kick-off the top of the second inning. Thompson scored three of the team’s 14 total runs across the two games.
Despite surrendering a couple of runs across the first two innings, Millsboro pitcher Dylon Deloy struck out the side in each of the first two frames and ended his night with eight strikeouts during his three innings pitched.
Lewes shortstop Ben Pease exhibits excellent fundamentals and sticks with a tough grounder to throw the runner out.
Lewes catcher Lucca Fazio launches a ball into the outfield in the top of the third inning of the first game.
Millsboro pitcher Dylon Deloy helps himself out in the bottom of the third inning. His bases-clearing triple put Millsboro up 3-2. On the very next pitch, a passed ball allowed Deloy to advance home to make it 4-2.
Lewes catcher Lucca Fazio secures an out in the bottom of the first inning of the second game.
Millsboro left fielder KJ Daisey experienced some bad luck while standing on third in Game 2. Struck by a line drive while standing on the bag, he kept the ball fair and then had to sprint home on a force play. He came close to being safe. He showed off his toughness by remaining in the game, not missing an at-bat, and eventually taking over on the mound.
Safety first, then teamwork. Lewes outfielder Nolan Jones clears the bat off the baseline after first baseman Grant Hershelman drove him in during Game 2.
Lewes pitcher Chase Sanchez took over in the second inning of Game 2, throwing 80 pitches across four innings. He struck out five and only surrendered one earned run to silence the Millsboro bats.
Lewes second baseman Lucas Skonieczki covers first to get the out in the fifth inning
Lewes outfielder Nolan Jones braces to take a pitch off the noggin in the sixth inning.
Lucca Fazio embraces his closer Ben DiMuzio as the winning pitcher Chase Sanchez joins in on the celebrations.
Hungry dogs run faster, and make for great dog piles near the mound. It’s easy to see that this is a team that everybody likes, not that they may care.
Millsboro 8-10 All-Stars were the only team to defeat Lewes during the 2023 District 3 tournament. Shown in back are (l-r) assistant coach Brandon Snyder, Jeffrey Sanchez, manager Clint Lewis and Ricky Duncan. In middle are Dylon Deloy, Cooper Lewis, Brody Snyder, Brody Timmons and Jaxon Merrill. In front are Reid Duncan, Bentley Hazzard, KJ Daisey and Kamron Henderson.
While these two just battled each other on back-to-back nights in July heat, Lucca Fazio, left, and Dylon Deloy were quick to congratulate one another for their efforts. The two are teammates on the Bagel Bombers travel team.
In a display of excellent sportsmanship, the two teams gathered for a post-game picture following an intense tournament and suspenseful two-game title series. This is the third year in a row Lewes has won the 8-10 tournament. Ben Pease, making the three symbol, has been on all three teams.

Most Popular

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter

Most Popular