CRESSONA - Cressona's three-pronged pitching attack delivered again.
Keenan Cryts, Kegan Hertz and Gavin Bartholomew combined for a one-hit shutout as Cressona earned a spot in the District 24 Little League 10-11-year-old championship game.
In Friday's semifinals, Cressona cruised past Schuylkill Haven 12-0 in four innings to improve to 5-0 in the tournament.
Cryts started for Cressona, allowing just one hit and striking out five in two innings to earn the win.
Hertz and Bartholomew threw one inning of relief
apiece to complete the shutout.
"We've made it through every game with those three pitchers," Cressona manager Mark Norris said. "All of them have off-speed pitches that are very effective."
Cressona will meet Upper Dauphin County, a 15-5 winner over Orwigsburg in the other semifinal, for the title. Game time is 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Gratz.
Ryan Caulfield, who went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, led Cressona's high-scoring offense.
"He's a beast," Norris said. "He's a consistent hitter and he's been hard to strike out all tournament."
After pitching a 1-2-3 first inning, Cryts led off with a triple to begin the bottom of the first.
Owen Oakley drove home Cryts on a groundout to second base. Later in the inning, Caulfield and Carter Thompson added RBI singles to give Cressona a 3-0 lead.
Thompson finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored.
"Carter's another powerful hitter," Norris said. "I think he's hit in every game of the tournament."
In the second inning, Cryts gave up a leadoff double to Mason Irwin, then struck out the next three Schuylkill Haven batters.
In the bottom of the second, Schuylkill Haven starter Jake Houtz walked three batters. Cody Miller scored on a passed ball and Owen Oakley stole home.
After an error brought home another run, Caulfield picked up his second hit with an RBI single that put Cressona up 7-0.
In the third, Cressona's Brody Robinson hit a bases-loaded double to bring home three more runs to extend the lead to 10-0. He later stole home to tack on another run.
"He's very aggressive," Norris said. "He uses his head and sometimes he takes it upon himself to move forward."
Caulfield got his third run-scoring hit of the game, a double that made it 12-0.
Bartholomew pitched the final inning for Cressona, getting the final out on a ground ball to second base to give his team the win and send it to the championship game.
"We're gonna preach good pitching and solid fielding against Upper Dauphin," Norris said. "They're a tough team and are a good program all around. We just have to play error-free baseball and mix up the pitches."
For Schuylkill Haven, the loss ended its season. But its manager is looking forward to next year.
"This team did a fantastic job all season," manager Chris Sisko said. "We have a number of 10-year-olds who are very good and proved themselves as all-stars.
"They'll be back next year, so the future looks bright."