By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The damage was done by the second inning Saturday as the Brandywine Maroon All-Star team took a 17-2 win over Watervliet to claim the Peanut B Eaton Park championship crown.
Brandywine jumped to an early 2-0 lead after the first inning and exploded in the second to score seven more runs, putting it up 9-0.
The power hitting continued into the third inning when Brandywine scored another five runs.
Watervliet was able to score its first two runs in the bottom of the third, but would see no other player cross home plate after the inning.
The fourth and final inning saw three more runs for Brandywine, giving it the 17-2 championship win.
Powerful hitting and tough defense was the key to Brandywine's victory.
Every member of the team had a hit during Saturday's game, with big hits coming from Alex Hardy, Cole Searles and Kyle Duncan, who all had four singles each.
Though Brandywine's Gold team didn't make it to the championship game in its division, it received the very prestigous Sportsmanship Award for their outstanding attitudes during the Eaton Park Tournament.
Hardy of the Brandywine Maroon team earned All-Tournament honors for the second year in a row in the Peanut division.
Chris Mangus of Brandywine also earned All-Tournament honors in the Little C division and Buchanan's Bryan Kuntz earned All Tournament honors in the Little League A/B division.
Adam Earles of Brandywine and Jake Wahlstrom of Buchanan both earned honorable mention honors in the Little A/B division.
Buchanan suffered a 5-2 loss to Bridgman for the Little B championship title Saturday afternoon.
Bryan Kuntz, Dylan Arnold and Kole Griffey all rotated at the mound for Buchanan.
Kuntz threw four strike outs, allowing four hits in three innings pitched, Arnold threw one strike out and allowed no hits in one inning pitched and Griffey threw three strike outs and allowed three hits in two innings pitched.
Buchanan was led offensively by Jake Wahlstrom with a home run and one RBI and Kuntz with a double, single and one RBI.
All-Tournament teams
Peanut Division
Lincoln Gender, Hartford; Jarod Manhout, Grant Williams, New Prairie; Nick Kiefer, Watervliet; Alex Hardy, Brandywine; Joe Juza, North Lincoln Red; Brian Shembarger, Berrien Springs; Trent Smiley, South Haven; Brad Trux, Brad Page, Coloma/Hagar.
Little C
Kyle Carlson, Lakeshore; Josh Schaffer, Jake Fratzke, Nick Kolettis, North Lincoln Red; Travis Stackland, Jared Williams, South Haven; Nick Lawerence, Austin Thackston, St. Joseph; Chris Mangus, Brandywine.
Little League A/B
Adam Winner, Paw Paw; Andrew Marks, South Haven; Bryan Kuntz, Buchanan; Michael Kamp, Bridgman; Lou Grounds, Michigan City; Steve Ross, Tyler Curtis, North Lincoln Red; Jarrod Hasse, Ryan Vitale, North Lincoln Blue.
Honorable Mention
Eric Pappa, Three Oaks; Garrett Shembarger, Jonathan Shembarger, Tony Murphy, Berrien Springs; Alex Wells, Josiah Badger, Bridgman; Jake Wahlstrom, Buchanan; Andrew Robles, Lawerence; Adam Earles, Brandywine; Max Field, Cory Daoust, Paw Paw; Ellis Hull, Devin Williams, Benton Harbor; Dylan Brooks, Matt Laduke, Trevor Brown, South Haven; Jesse Mills, Rosario Guastello, Michigan City; Lou Dominion, North Lincoln Red; Pat Bicanich, North Lincoln Blue.
Sportsmanship Awards
Peanut A South Haven
Peanut B Brandywine Maroon
Minor A South Haven
Minor B Brandywine
Minor C North Lincoln Red
Little A South Haven
Little B Bridgman
Little C South Haven
Pony A Benton Harbor
Babe A Lawerence