Champions!

With the tradition in Waterford, it is nearly impossible to accomplish anything in baseball that hasn’t been done. But Sunday night, in Willimantic, Waterford South’s 9-10 All-Stars did just that, becoming the first 9-10 team in town history to win a state championship.

“If you know the town we are from –  it's baseball,” Coach William Speller said. “And to be the first one to do it is something that is going to be talked about for a very long time in Waterford — a very long time.”

The team beat Bristol-based Edgewood, 11-6, finishing a best-of-three series in two games and earning the state crown. The team will move on to the regional tournament.

“Unbelievable,” Speller said. “I never thought we were going to be here.”

The Game

Waterford South started strong, pushing two runs across in the bottom of the first inning on RBIs by Trevor Yeomans and Noah Speller. In the third, the team exploded for six runs on six hits to take a commanding 8-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Speller dominated the first three innings, giving up just one bunt single. In the fourth, Edgewood scratched across two runs without hitting a ball out of the infield.

In the fifth, things took a turn, when a three-run homer off of Speller cut the lead to 10-5. Speller, after striking out one more batter, was relieved by Dylan Bosco.

William Speller later said he was not overly nervous, saying, “I thought we had a good lead.” However, his son, now playing third base, looked distraught.

That all changed in the bottom of the fifth, when Noah Speller got a chance at redemption. The 10-year-old cranked a home run, the first of his life, to give Waterford South a 11-5 lead.

“I was mad,” he said. “It felt good.”

From there, the momentum shifted back to Waterford South. Edgewood managed one more run, but Yeomans ending the game with a strikeout, and delirious celebration ensued.

The team pig-piled on top of each other after the last pitch, and than ran around the field with the state championship banner. After that, the team had no large Gatorade bucket, so player after player doused Coach Speller with their own personal water bottles.

For Coach Speller, it was the third consecutive year he coached in the 9-10 state championship game. Many of the 10-year-olds played on last year’s team as well, and were relieved to finally take home the crown.

Heroes

Speller called the game a “total team effort,” with all players contributing. Some really shined, with Noah Speller picking up the win and reaching base every time he was up, including the home run, and catcher Eric Pinch, who went 4-for-4 with a double, three runs and 3 RBIs.

Pinch, a 10-year-old, was on last year’s team. After losing last year in the state championship game, the nervousness was gone and it was clear what had to be done, he said.

“I knew I had to play big,” Pinch said. “It was fun.”

Additionally, Bosco reached safely in every at-bat and added two run-scoring doubles, along with strong defense at third base, and Yeomans added two RBIs and aped Mariano Rivera, locking down the final two outs on the mound.

Waterford South’s 9-10 All-Star Roster

2011 State Champions

Jamal Brennan

Eric Pinch

Dylan Bosco

Liam Spellman

Trevor Yeomans

Noah Speller

Nicholas Porazzi

Cadin Maynard

Nathan Landon

Payton Sutman

Avery Albenese

Daniel Annibalini