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The Batavia Junior Blue Devils defeated the Livonia Devil Dogs 3-1 to win the Monroe County Babe Ruth 15U Western League Championship.
The Junior Blue Devils went undefeated in the double elimination playoff, defeating the Greece Bombers, Rush Henrietta Comets, Gates Spartans, and the Livonia Devil Dogs in the Championship.
In the championship game, the Junior Blue Devils played solid defense behind a pitching gem by Tyler Prospero. Batavia turned two timely double plays in the second and fifth innings to help thwart Livonia’s rally attempts.
Prospero did not allow a hit until the seventh inning when the Devil Dogs touched him for a home run, Livonia’s only run, and a double. Prospero struck out six as he kept the Devil Dogs off balance the entire game. Batavia scored all three of their runs in the fifth inning as Patrick Wrobel led off the inning with a double to right center.
After a pop out, Tom Demmer plated the first run of the game with a line drive down the left field line. Then after a strikeout, Dominick Mogavero's infield single scored Demmer. Greg Mruczek's second single of the game scored Mogavero, giving Batavia a 3-0 lead.
Other hits in the game for the Junior Blue Devils were by Quinten Weis and Noah Dobbertin.
In the first round, Batavia defeated Greece 10-7 led with two hits each by Nick Bauer, Dakota Swimline, Dwayne Fonda, and Quinten Weis and singles by Nate Goodwin Demmer, Wrobel, and Mogavero.
Batavia’s 5-4 second round win over Rush Henrietta was led by hits from Trevor Sherwood, Adam Taylor, Wrobel, Weis, Bauer, Dobbertin, Fonda, Mruczek, and Prospero. Mogavero had a solid pitching effort to get the win over the previously undefeated Comets.
And in the third round 10-9 win over Gates, the Junior Blue Devils offense was helped by nine walks. Hits for Batavia were a double and a single by Wrobel, two singles by Prospero, and singles each by Robert Zickl, Mogavero, Mruczek, Sherwood, and Weis.
