An eight-team field has been set and preparations are complete for the 2022 Pennsylvania Little League Baseball state championship tournament, which will take over Pitt-Bradford’s Kessel Athletic Complex for six days.
Beginning Wednesday, eight sectional winners from throughout the state will compete in a double-elimination style tournament, the winner receiving a bid in the Mid-Atlantic Regional. Bradford will host the Major League division tournament — the age bracket popularized by its end-of-summer World Series at Williamsport — for the second time, previously hosting in 2013.
“We built the mound about three weeks ago so it had enough time to get wet, get hot and not fall apart once they got here,” said Barry Bacha, distict administrator for District 10, which is hosting the tournament within Section 1. “We started hanging up banners late last week, and it’s just been a lot of preparation — getting our program together, stocking the concession stands, ordering baseballs. A lot of things you don’t think about but need to do in advance.”
Section 1 accounts for most of Northwestern Pennsylvania, running West to Erie and Crawford counties and South to Clarion and Venango counties. DuBois Little League successfully defended its sectional crown this year, making it one of three teams that will be making a repeat trip to the state tournament.
Section 4 champion Hollidaysburg Little League and Section 7 champion Greencastle Little League will also return after competing in the 2021 state tournament. Greencastle fell in the final of last year’s tournament to Upper Providence, which went on to play in the Little League World Series.
Teams will arrive for equipment check Tuesday from 1-3 p.m., which will be followed by a coaches meeting. They’ll then attend a pre-tournament banquet at UPB at 6 p.m. before play kicks off Wednesday at 11 a.m.
A Challenger Division game, set for Sunday at 5 p.m. between Bradford and Warren will also be featured in the tournament.
“We’re just ready for it to be here,” Bacha said. “I can’t thank the Bradford Regional Little League board and (league president) Jeremy Luna enough for all the preparation they’ve put in. A lot of these guys are new to hosting the state tournament, and they’ve really stepped up and done a lot of the leg work.”
A look at each tournament team:
SECTION 1 — NorthwestDuBois Little LeagueManager:
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SECTION 2 — SouthwestHermitage Little LeagueManager:
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SECTION 3 — North CentralKeystone Little LeagueManager:
SECTION 4 — South CentralHollidaysburg Little LeagueManager:
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SECTION 5 — NortheastBack Mountain National Little LeagueManager:
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SECTION 6 — MideastSouthern Lehigh Little LeagueManager:
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SECTION 7 — SoutheastGreencastle Little LeagueManager:
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SECTION 8 — Philadelphia MetroAston-Middletown Little LeagueManager:
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What to watch: Rocco Simone’s .700 batting average headline’s A-M’s offense, while Brody Orr has compiled 19 hits, Deven Kutty-Martin has scored 15 runs and Colt Sullivan has 17 RBI. Chase Callahan has worked to a 1.11 ERA, while Riley Comisiak has struck out 20 batters and Orr has claimed six wins on the mound.
