Gusick scored Valentine and Sock-Montoursville pulled off two consecutive wins in dominating fashion to knock off Keystone, 12-2, in five innings at Volunteer Stadium to capture the District 12 championship in the 8-10 division. Sock-Montour will play its first game in sectionals on Saturday at a time and place to be determined. Loyalsock-Montoursville had been riding a high ever since it made a comeback from a four-run deficit in Monday’s game in the same stadium. With one night’s rest and 24 hours later, it turns out that pressure did not rattle Sock-Montour as it continued its hitting barrage, almost like a spitting mirror image from Monday’s performance.

It recorded nine hits on its 12 runs, including five runs on two hits in the second and three more hits gave way to two runs in the third which gave its fans something to cheer about. Sock-Montour then added three more runs on just two hits in the fourth to keep its momentum going, essentially shutting the door shut on Keystone to claim the district title.

“It means a lot. I honestly could not tell you the last time either one of them won a district and especially at the 10-year-old level,” coach King mentioned. “Right now we’re just excited to move on and play some more baseball and continue playing during the summer.”

Valentine, the second baseman, tallied just one hit on the day but went 1 for 1 at the plate, scored three runs and tallied an RBI. Gusick went 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs, Reid Francis 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Carson Montague 2 for 2 with two runs. Rance Bowes and Jackson King both went 1 for 2 with one walk, respectively. Maverik Garman, who pitched all five innings, threw three strikeouts with just two walks and an error.

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Sock-Montour players celebrate their victory over Keystone during a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

Keystone first baseman Jaxon Orndorf led the team with a 2 for 2 outing with an RBI while left fielder Bentley Leone went 1 for 2 with an RBI and scored one run. Keystone’s run came to an end in a tough way. Sock-Montour kept the runs coming but unfortunately for Keystone it kept the fielding and pitching errors coming that gave the home team even more of an advantage that they had already taken early on.

“We didn’t make very many defensive plays which is unusual for us. The total number of errors was high,” Keystone coach Nick Orndorf said. “We didn’t make some routine plays which got our pitchers up in their pitch count and everything so that definitely hurt.”

Keystone, who was named the visiting team, brought its bats to the plate in the top of the first inning and plated two runs on two hits and looked like it had gotten the start it looked to bounce back with after its loss on Monday. Sock-Montour came back with one threatening run and after holding Keystone hitless and scoreless in the top of the second inning, did not wait any longer than the bottom of the second inning to take advantage.

Montague and Daniel Christman reached first, Montague on a Keystone error, and Rhett Datres walked and scored. Then Valentine walked, Gusick hit an RBI single to third and also scored a run before Francis ripped a two-run double. The hits only amounted to two but the walks and speedy baserunners of Sock-Montour allowed the home team to run the score up early on.

“That was big for us to be able to put up a five-spot in the bottom half just for the fact of if you can hold it in the top half that just continues to build momentum as you’re going through the game,” coach King said. “Maverik (Garman) threw a gem tonight. We’ve been blessed with good pitching that has carried us through as well as timely hitting that we have taken advantage of with some of the situations we have been handed.”

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Keystone’s Cael Day attempts a tag on a Keystone runner during a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

Sock-Montour tallied six hits over the final three innings. They kept the hits coming in the third inning with three in the first four at-bats as King, Montague and Bowes all singled with King and Montague both scoring. Then in the fourth, when Sock-Montour needed one more strong inning of holding Keystone off and plating runs, it put up three more runs on just two hits as Francis and Montague singled.

Keystone, who went through four pitchers of which none eclipsed over 50 pitches thrown, gave up five walks in the bottom half. Two of the five walks involved bases loaded scenarios where Sock-Montour walked in a couple runs.

Mistakes aside, Sock-Montour played a strong game. The win was a total team effort but Valentine, who cobbled two hits Monday evening, has been a big factor in the team’s success. After his initial single in the bottom of the first, he drew two walks in his next three at-bats, the other one of which he reached on a fielder’s choice.

He scored on those two walks and besides his necessary plate abilities for Sock-Montour he is also a solid infielder who makes proper plays. He’s doing the dirty work while vocally leading the guys to be in the correct spots to make plays.

“He is one of our spark plugs and that is why he hits lead-off,” coach King said. “He sets the tone for us in the very beginning and does a great job for us on second base, too, to make sure he’s communicating with our guys and keeping guys in the game as well.”

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Keystone’s Maverick Garman starts out on the mound during a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

Garman, who can be said as the unsung hero of Tuesday’s game, pitched quite the gem. His five innings with just three strikeouts may go unnoticed due to Sock-Montour’s offensive abilities, but his shutdown mentality on the hill is what ignited the hits and runs barrage it could go on.

Sock-Montour had multiple guys ready to play Tuesday but Garman put the team on his back defensively, saving Sock-Montour’s arms for sectionals.

“Maverik is kind of a quiet kid, but when he goes out there on the hump, he’s a bulldog,” coach King said of his starting pitcher. “He wants to go out, throw strikes and shove as much as he can. He did the same thing for us earlier in the tournament. So we knew we’d go with him. He gave us a chance to win.”

Sock-Montour 12,

Keystone 2

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Sock-Montour’s Hunter Packer starts out on the mound during a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

(5 INNINGS)

Keystone 200 00– 2 3 2

Loyalsock 152 31– 12 9 0

Hunter Packer, Deagan Stover, Cael Day and Aldin DeMarte. Maverick Garman. W: Garman. L: Packer.

Top Sock-Montour hitters: Antonio Valentine 1-1, 3 runs, RBI, 2 BB; Ben Gusick 2-3, 2B, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, BB; Reid Francis 2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs; Jackson King 1-2, BB; Carson Montague 2-2, 2 runs; Rance Bowes 1-2, BB. Top Keystone hitters: Bentley Leone 1-2, RBI, run; Jaxon Orndorf 2-2, RBI; Callen Bechdel 0-2, run.

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Keystone catcher Reid Francis attempts a tag on a Keystone runner during a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Keystone players receive their runner-up medals after a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024..

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Sock-Montour players pose with their championship banner after a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Sock-Montour players celebrate their victory over Keystone during a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/For The Express Sock-Montour players celebrate their victory over Keystone during a Little League District 12 Minor baseball championship game at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.