Junior League All-Stars win District 19 Championship

Albers smashes three-run homer as Rochelle tops Rock Falls 9-2

Russell Hodges
Posted 7/8/17

The Rochelle Little League Junior Boys All-Star Team defeated Rock Falls on Sunday to win the Illinois Little League District 19 Championship.

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Junior League All-Stars win District 19 Championship

Albers smashes three-run homer as Rochelle tops Rock Falls 9-2

Posted

ROCHELLE — Ethan Albers recorded one hit in the Rochelle Little League Junior Boys All-Star Team’s game against Rock Falls on Sunday, but it was certainly the biggest hit of the afternoon.

With Rochelle and Rock Falls tied 0-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Albers crushed a three-run homer to give the Junior League All-Stars their first lead of the 2017 Illinois Little League District 19 Championship. Albers finished with a team-high four RBIs, and behind strong pitching performances by Kyler Lara and Spencer Warborg, Rochelle took down Rock Falls 9-2 to win the district title.

“It feels great to be back with the boys and to win another championship,” All-Star Sam Hacaga said after the victory. “We’re hoping to go to state.”

“We’re ready to make another run for state,” added All-Star Breccan Berns. “Credit goes to Ethan for hitting that home run.”

Lara helped close out Rochelle’s 17-7 victory over Freeport in the district semifinals on Friday, and the big right-hander brought his best stuff to the mound on Sunday, throwing five and two-thirds innings while striking out nine Rock Falls hitters and surrendering just two runs. Warborg pitched the final one and one-third innings, knocking down four Rock Falls batters via strikeout to earn the save.

“It feels good to be a district champ,” Lara said. “We have a lot more baseball to play.”

Rock Falls took down Freeport on Saturday to clinch its spot in the district finals, and the team held Rochelle to three runs over the first four innings after the Junior All-Stars put up two seven-run frames against Freeport on Friday. Starting pitcher Luke Akerman found his rhythm early for Rock Falls, but the right-hander ran out of gas late, with Rochelle tagging him for one run in the bottom of the fifth inning and five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Rochelle totaled seven hits on Sunday, with Grant Thompson going 2-for-3 with two doubles and one run scored. Albers and Garrett Burdin each scored twice in the win, while Berns, Lara, Hacaga and Nolan Morrissette each recorded one hit. Rochelle will advance to the Illinois Little League District 5 Sub-State Tournament beginning Saturday, July 15 in Moline.

“It’s my first time being a district champ,” Burdin said. “It feels great.”