LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: CORNING GOLD 10U RALLIES TO WIN DISTRICT TITLE OVER HORSEHEADS (24 PHOTOS) (2025-07-09)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
HORSEHEADS — Down 2-0 in the fourth inning was a situation the Corning-Painted Post Gold All-Stars hadn’t faced yet this year.

While they hadn’t been behind in a game after the first inning in all-star play, CPPLL was able to respond, coming back for a 4-2 win over Horseheads to claim the district title on Wednesday.

CPPLL had won every game by at least three runs, and other than their previous matchup against Horseheads the team had won every other game by at least 13 runs.

The only time they trailed in all-star play was 1-0 in the opening inning against Elmira Heights, before coming back for a 15-1 win.

In the previous matchup with Horseheads the team won 5-2, but they led that game 5-0 before Horseheads scored.

Brendan hit a lead-off inside-the-park home run for Horseheads and Horseheads added a run in the third to go up 2-0 in the game.

From there, CPP went to work, scoring two in the fourth and two in the fifth in the win.

“They battled,” CPPLL coach Bryant Dillon said. “They always do. That’s what we teach them, it’s one inning at at time and it can change at any time. They stayed with it, and we couldn’t be prouder of them.

“That’s what they do, they rally.”

Down 2-0, CPP used a two-run fourth to tie things up.

“That was the turning point for us,” Dillon said. “We were nervous heading into that, we had a conversation before the inning and said this is what we do. We stick with every play and they ended up pulling it out for us.”

With the game tied the confidence was on the rise for CPPLL and that carried over into the two-run fifth.

“Absolutely,” Dillon said. “And, in the sixth inning too, our defense really showed up and made some plays.”

Pitching was dominant for both teams in the game as the teams combined for just six hits in the game.

Corning pitcher Jacob Dunning struck out six in 2 2/3 innings of four-hit ball, allowing two runs, one earned, he walked none in the game. Micah Bretch was dominant in relief, throwing 3 1/3 innings of no-hit ball, striking out four.

Horseheads’ Ben LaNeve struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings of two-hit ball, allowing four runs and two earned. Jonny W got the last out, by strikeout.

Bretch and Dunning had the two hits for Corning, with Bretch, Kalvin Loud, Noah Ibberson and Colton Peiffer scoring runs and Bretch driving in a run.

Brendon Drew had two hits, with the home run, an RBI and a run scored for Horseheads and Noah Robinson had a hit and an RBI and Jaden Jansen had a hit, while Mason Stansfield scored a run.

Now it’s onto sectionals in Cicero on Saturday against Maine-Endwell.

“It’s going to be great,” Dillon said. “It’s a lot of their first times, so it’s going to be a great experience.”

While CPPLL hasn’t been in close games very often, they know this game can help them going forward.

“I do think that’s what we needed,” Dillon said. “Our team hadn’t been tested too much at this point, this game we got a test and battled back.”
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PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME:


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