Last weekend, a Richland County youth baseball team brought yet another trophy home. The Shelby Blackfork Bombers 8U baseball team won the 2014 Wooster Clash of the Titans Baseball Tournament.
Eleven teams from across the state came to play a 3 game pool schedule followed by a single elimination tournament.
The Bombers outscored opponents 52-12 in pool play over 3 games overcoming Mount Vernon, Orrvville, and Triway Purple in succession before heading into tournament play.
The team started off hot, as the second pitch on the first at bat from Luke Lesseuer as sent out of the park for a home run. Teammates Casey Lantz, Alex Bruskotter and Garrett Bishop launched bombs clearing the fence. Head coach Marc Hartz said it was the first time any of those players had hit a home run over the fence, providing big individual moments complimented by solid team play.
“It was a total team effort,” Hartz said. “Every kid pitched and did their part to help win the tournament.”
In tournament play, Bombers won both of their last games in dominant fashion. They overcame Perry 18-10 in the semifinals in a 5 inning run-rule victory. The tournament’s run rule was set at automatic victory if up by 10 runs after 4 innings or if up by 8 runs after 5 innings.
In the championship game, facing a rematch against Mount Vernon, the Bombers did not let off the gas. The Shelby team topped Mt. Vernon 13-5 for a 5 inning run-rule win.Hartz said that the championship was a close game until his team put up a four run burst in in bottom of fifth for a run rule victory.
