Cougars Comeback to Win District 12 Title on Walk-off Homer

Owen Belisle hit a 2-run walk off homer as SOMA Cougars defeated Summit to win the Cal Ripken District 12 title. Trailing 8-4, the Cougars scored 5 runs in the last two innings for the comeback victory, capped by Belisle's blast to end it.

CK Epstein started on the mound for the Cougars and battled for 3 and 2/3 innings. Summit got on the board early when #17 hit a 2-run homer in the first. The Cougars answered in the bottom of the second when Ben Leepson took Summit deep for his own 2-run homer. Max Caracciolo then doubled down the left field line, driving home Devin Aiken as the Cougars took a 3-2 lead.

The lead didn't last long though. Summit responded with a 2-out rally in the third. After Aiken made a leaping catch on a line drive to center, Summit doubled and walked before #5 launched a 3-run homer for Summit to take a 5-3 lead. The Cougars scratched off a run in the bottom half to make it 5-4.

Summit scored another run in the top of the fouth. Ryan Leibensperger then relieved Epstein to get the Cougars out of a jam as he has done all tournament. After the Cougars failed to score in the fourth the stage was set was a battle for the championship over the last two innings.

Leading 6-4 in the fifth, Summit added two more runs on a solo homer by #17 of Summit, his second of the game, and a walk and three stolen bases, including home on a passed ball.

Now trailing 8-4 the Cougars started the fifth hitting into a tough double play on a line drive to first. With two outs and trailing by four, the Cougars mounted their comeback. Singles by Vince Difazzio and Nolan Secor put runners on first and second. Ben Leepson then doubled deep to left, just missing his second homer of game, to drive in a run. Epstein followed with a double in the gap to right center scoring two and bringing the Cougars to within one.

Jack Cartaina took the mound in the sixth and pitched a scoreless inning to keep the game close. He was helped by an amazing diving catch by Zac Calveric on a flare hit down the left field line. Calveric also had a sliding catch playing second earlier in the game on a little blooper.

Down one with the title on the line, Max Caracciolo hit a hard single past the third baseman. Then Belisle stepped to the plate. He worked a 2-2 count and then crushed an outside fastball, driving it over the fence in right center for the game and the title.

Belisle was named the MVP for the finals. The Cougars outhit Summit 10 to 5. Secor, Leepson and Caracciolo each had two hits for the Cougars with Leepson driving in three runs. Cartaina earned the victory on the mound.

The Cougars went 6-0 in the District tournament and now head to States in Monroe, NJ next weekend. This is the second District 12 title for this age group as the boys won the District at 8u in 2016. There were 11 returning players from that team.