July 7, 2023

Watch out Williamsport: Wellsville Little League All-Stars are District 2 champions

A three-game series ends with big Wellsville win

From staff reports, photos provided

The 9-11 Wellsville Little League All Star Team captured the New York District 2 Title Thursday night, defeating the All Stars from Portville in a best of 3 games series.

Wellsville traveled to Portville for the first game on Saturday morning July 1st. The sons of Wellsville and surrounding areas were ready from the first pitch, smashing their way to a 22-4 victory. Youngsters Landon McLaughlin, Claytin Loucks, and Lucas Wright all produced multiple hits for their squad, while Hunter Carl, Cal Turner, Max Moline, and Cooper Orpet each added a hit a piece.

Wellsville hosted game 2 on Wednesday night July 5th, and the game was a very different story. The spirited Portville team showed their resilience and grit, challenging Wellsville in the back and forth affair. 6 innings was not enough to decide the competition, and so an extra inning resulted. Wellsville scored one in the top of the 7th when Jackson Dean drove in Greyson Faulkner, giving his team a 7-6 lead. But Portville was better, pushing across 2 runs in the bottom of the frame, earning a dramatic 8-7 walk-off victory.

A third game in Portville was necessary to settle the Championship on Thursday July 6th. Wellsville started well, executed their version of “small ball” in scoring 5 runs in the first. Landon McLaughlin was very good on the mound, pitching 5 innings, scattering 4 Portville hits, and striking out 6. Offensively, Cooper Orpet, Keegan McLaughlin, Lucas Wright, Mason Richardson, Max Moline, Cal Turner, and Landon McLaughlin, all produced important hits in the contest. Wellsville had a lead going into the sixth inning, but Portville stormed back to pull within two runs before the weather conditions and darkness ended the game and their two-out rally, setting the final score back to the end of the 5th inning, and giving Wellsville a 11-3 Championship victory.