DISTRICT SIX LITTLE LEAGUE ALL-STARS (MAJORS): BIG FLATS CAPTURES SECOND STRAIGHT DISTRICT CROWN (24 PHOTOS) (July 13, 2022)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
HORSEHEADS — Waverly was starting to mount a comeback bid. A run was in, two runners were on and Big Flats was forced to make a pitching change.

After 4 2/3 innings of four-hit ball Johnny Graham had reached his pitch limit and Beckett Doane was headed to the mound for Big Flats.

This was the moment if Waverly was going to make a comeback. A 5-0 deficit entering the fifth inning was down to 5-1 and there were runners on second and third and Waverly cleanup hitter Griffin Walter was at the plate.

Doane quickly got ahead in the count 0-2 and a ground ball to short brought an end to the threat and ended Waverly’s hopes of a district title as Big Flats won 6-2 to capture a second straight District 6 Majors title.

Waverly was trying to win a first district title since 2005, while Big Flats has won two straight majors titles, and they have made three straight district finals, the other in minors, with one year lost to Covid as well.

“I was just trying to get the ball low, to get a ground ball, because I know there was a force out almost everywhere, so I was just trying to get the ball low so people could get it and get it to the nearest base,” Doane said.

Doane knew he was facing a tough hitter and getting ahead in the count was key.

“It felt good, definitely, it kind of relieved me a little because I knew that kid was a good hitter,” Doane said.

After Graham was dominant throughout the game, manager Kevin Doane knew that while Beckett Doane wasn’t the hardest thrower around he’d throw strikes.

“All pitchers are a little bit different,” Kevin Doane said. “He doesn’t throw quite as hard as some of the pitchers, but he throws strikes so that’s why we use them.

“That’s what Beckett does for us. He gets us a lot of ground balls. He throws a heavy ball that gets a lot of contact, but weak contact, that’s why we like him.”

The fifth inning was a lot like the game as a whole as Waverly had chances but were never able to break through against Big Flats. Meanwhile Walter was strong all night on the mound, but Big Flats capitalized every chance they got.

One of the keys for Big Flats was getting off to a fast start as they scored a pair of first-inning runs to get off to a quick lead.

“We had a really good team build, everyone was cheering each other up and just having fun,” Graham said.

“It helped our team a lot, it kept our team having fun throughout the game and confidence,” Graham said of the early lead.

While the hitting gave Big Flats the early lead, their pitching and defense helped that lead stand up.

“They played great,” Kevin Doane said of the team. “They came to play, they swung the bats well. Johnny Graham pitched phenomenal to get us to the end of the game. Great job by all the kids.

“Made a lot of plays in the field. This is a really, really hard ground. We have been practicing on hard ground, anticipating this sort of pavement like field and it worked out, they did a good job.”

Hard work has been one of the keys all all-star season for Big Flats.

“First, go out and have fun, play hard and win every at bat, every play in the field,” Kevin Doane said. “Hustle, hustle more than the other team and see what happens.

“Effort level, these guys from day one we made them promise to hustle and give maximum effort every single day, every practice, every game, it’s phenomenal.”

After Graham left the mound Doane worked 1 1/3 innings, striking out one and allowing two hits and one unearned run.

Graham also had two hits, with a double, scoring two runs.

Lyncoln Bennett and Beckett Doane each had doubles, with Doane driving in two and Beckett driving in a run, while scoring two runs.

Gavin VanGorden and Ruhmel each had hits for Big Flats, with VanGorden scoring two runs.

Along with the doubles by Axel Murray and Brayden Bowman, Waverly got hits from Jack Pipher, who also had an RBI, and Hayden Roscoe, Maddux Presher and Chase Sinsabaugh had hits, with Presher and Murray scoring runs.

Walter struck out 13 over 4 2/3 innings of five-hit ball. Pipher got one out, striking out one.

Now it’s onto sectionals, starting Sunday in Cortland.

“We know we are going to face tough teams, with tough pitching,” Kevin Doane said. “We just have to get our bats going. I think our defense is good, our pitching is good, we have to come ready for some pitchers that throw really hard and probably throw some curveballs and changeups that we are not used to seeing.”

Graham knows that just as the team got off to the fast start on Tuesday they need to do the same in sectionals.

“I think the key is to get runs first, if we get runs first it’s going to be a tough game,” Graham said.

“It’s very exciting,” Beckett Doane said of sectionals. “I just can’t wait to go to sectionals and hopefully shake up sectionals.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES