By Mike Maltais
Five members of the Methow Valley Little League teamed up with players from the Three Rivers Crushers in Chelan to win the Wenatchee Fall Ball league championship Oct. 12-13.
Peter Aspholm, 13, Findlay Holston, 13, Sam Neitlich, 12, Leo Shaw, 12, and Shay Crandall, 11, helped lead the Crushers to the team trophy.
“The Crushers placed third during league play but swept four straight games in the playoffs to take the title,” said Rob Crandall.
Highlights from the finals included a complete-game shutout by Holston, valiant mound work from Neitlich and powerful batting displays from Aspholm and Crandall.
Shaw missed the playoffs with a concussion but was a solid contributor in the field and at the plate throughout the season.
Six regional teams compete in the Fall Ball league that runs for six weeks during September and October.
In the double elimination tourney the Crushers defeated the Brooklyn Baseball club from Yakima, 26-4, shut out Moses Lake, 11-0, edged the Wenatchee Reds, 8-6, and beat Moses Lake in the title game, 11-1.
