E. Frederick wins district 9-10 LL

Steven DesRosier didn't think his last pitch against Brunswick was a game-ending called third strike Monday.

He was wrong.

"It felt like it would be close to the ground for a ball," DesRosier said. "It was right down the middle."

A relieved DesRosier earned the save for East Frederick and the city team won the District 2 9-10 Little League Baseball championship with a 4-2 win.

East Frederick moves on to the state 9-10 Little League Tournament, beginning Saturday, July 18, at Willards (Wicomico County) Little League field.

DesRosier had come on in relief of starter Joe McNulty, who left the game with two out in the fifth after reaching his pitch-count limit. He had held Brunswick , which fought its way out of the loser's bracket to earn a rematch with East Frederick in Monday's title game, to one earned run with six strikeouts and three walks, picking up the win.

He turned the game over to DesRosier, with East Frederick leading, 3-2, leaving the the reliever to protect the lead.

DesRosier retired the first batter he faced to end the inning. East Frederick scored a run in the top of the sixth for a 4-2 lead.

In the last of the sixth, DesRosier struck out James Shipe but gave up a double to Dylan Goodnough. Goodnough moved to third on a wild pitch.

DesRosier got Brunswick 's Austin Stockman to pop out to second base, but gave up a walk to Noah Hawes, putting runners at first and third. He worked into a full count against Luke Struss.

DesRosier said he took a deep breath, concentrated, and pitched.

Home plate umpire Jim Gill's signal of a called third strike removed any doubt on DeRosier's pitch, touching off a celebration on the field and in the East Frederick stands.

"I just told him to put it out over the plate," East Frederick manager Joe McNulty said. "I hadn't envisioned anything like this happening when we started practice. It's a great group of kids to work with."

East Frederick took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on an RBI single by Blake White. The winners got two more runs in the fifth on RBI singles from Travis Craney and Sean

Jodrie. East Frederick scored once in the sixth on an error.

Jodrie had three hits with a double. "Some of the pitches I saw were outside, but they were in the strike zone," he said.

"We take each game one pitch at a time," McNulty said. "We just reached out and played small ball. Get them on. Get them across."

Brunswick scored its runs in the fifth on an RBI single from Chase Loy and an error.

John Harding was Brunswick 's starter. He pitched 4 2-3 innings with eight strikeouts. He was relieved by Shipe.

"All of the pitchers dominated," Brunswick manager Curtis Anderson said. "They all pitched well."

District 2 10-11

National 13, American 1

Behind the strong pitching of Michael Bealmaer, Frederick National won on Sunday.

Bealmaer allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He struck out 13 and walked none.

Alex Enriquez led the winners with a single, double and triple. Tyler Magaha had a triple and CJ Minks had two hits.

Rucker Zigler had a home run for American.

National plays at Thurmont today.