PHOTO PROVIDED West End’s 13-14-year-old Babe Ruth all-star team won the Pennsylvania championship on Sunday. The team is managed by George Lepley and assisted by Scott Naughton, PJ Dincher, Owen Berry and Mike Frederick. Kneeling holding the banner is James Naughton and Liam Lucas. Standing in the second row is Mason Geyer, Cam Denune, Blair Bower and Anthony Dunlap. In the third row is Adrian Zayas, Bennett Singer, Emerson Lehman, Nick Dincher, Andrew Yerger, Landyn Bieber and Parker Frederick. The state title is the 30th championship for Lepley.

One thing has shined for West End’s 14-year-old Babe Ruth all-star team in the state tournament: pitching and defense. That’s why West End’s all-star team claimed the Babe Ruth state championship on Sunday after defeating Altoona, 4-2.

West End’s 14-year-old all-star team was the top seed in the four-team field.

“I guess the key was, as much as anything, pitching and defense and I have to say timely hitting as well,” West End manager George Lepley said.

West End took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never let Altoona tie it or take a lead. West End scored twice in the second and led 4-0 heading into the sixth inning. Altoona would score a run in both the sixth and seventh innings, but that was as close as Altoona came to tying the game.

West End out-hit Altoona, 5-2, in the championship as Liam Lucas went 2 for 2 with a double, RBI and run scored. Andrew Yerger (1 for 2), Bennett Singer (1 for 2) and Nick Dincher (1 for 2, run) all collected a single.

On the mound, Emerson Lehman threw 5 2/3 innings and scattered two hits — both singles — with seven strikeouts, although did issue five walks. James Naughton relieved him to throw the final 1 1/3 innings and allowed no hits with a strikeout and three walks.

West End defeated Altoona 8-4 in the game prior in the final game of the round-robin format. iam Lucas earned the win that contest, throwing five innings. Defensively, West End played well however as Altoona collected eight hits.

Collin Brandt led West End in that game with a 2 for 3 performance with two RBIs and two runs scored. Dincher also went 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Lucas (1 for 3), Lehman (1 for 3) and Landyn Bieber (1 for 3, two RBIs) all collected a hit as well.

At the state tournament, West End played every team once and advanced by being the top seed to head to the championship.

The win advances West End’s 14-year-old all-stars to the Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament in Milroy beginning next Thursday. West End plays twice on the first day of regionals against Altoona (1 p.m.) and Mifflin County (7 p.m.).

West End has a game on Friday, July 18 against New Jersey and one on Saturday, July 19 against Roxborough. The Mid-Atlantic championship is scheduled for Sunday.

Frederick pitched a perfect game to lift West End’s 14-year-old all-star team to a 10-0 win against Mifflin County to propel the all-star Babe Ruth squad in the Pennsylvania state tournament in the team’s first game. It was the first time since 1972 that a team from Mifflin County had been no-hit in the state tournament.

“They’ve been tough rivals (over the years), but our pitcher from Loyalsock Parker Fredericks threw a perfect game,” Lepley noted.

Frederick had three strikeouts in the win against Mifflin County as the defense kept the perfect game in tact through all five innings.

Against Roxborough in Philadelphia, Landyn Bieber threw a gem with no earned runs and James Naughton had a 1-2-3 inning for the save as West End secured a 3-2 win against a talented team.

West End’s arms have been solid and the defense backing the pitchers have been flawless so far this all-star season.

Mifflin County fell to both West End and Roxborough.

Lepley is the manager for West End’s 14-year-old all-star team this year while Scott Naughton, PJ Dincher, Owen Berry and Mike Frederick are assistants. Dincher, Berry and Frederick all played as kids for Lepley in Babe Ruth Baseball when they were younger.

West End 10,

Broomall/Newtown 0

(5 INNINGS)

Broomall/Newtown 000 00 — 0 0 1

West End 200 62 — 10 11 0

Kale Beaver, name n/a (5) and Caden McClure. Parker Frederick and Emerson Lehman. W: Frederick. L: Beaver.

Top West End hitters: James Naughton 2-3, RBI, 2 runs; Andrew Yerger 2-3, RBI; Nick Dincher 2-3, run; Cam Denune 1-2, 2B, 2 RBIs, run.

West End 3,

Roxborough 2

Roxborough 000 200 0– 2 3 1

West End 201 000 x — 3 6 4

David Cupchak, Jake Vukas (4), Claude Miros Jr. (6) and Ryan McGaughey. Landyn Bieber, James Naughton (7) and Bennett Singer. W: Bieber. L: Miros Jr. S: Naughton.

Top Roxborough hitters: Ryan mcGaughey 1-3, RBI; Larry Markey 1-3, 2B, run; Vinnie Rizzo 1-2, run. Top West End hitters: Landyn Bieber 2-3, 2B; Liam Lucas 2-2, RBI; James Naughton 1-3, 2 runs; CollinBRandt 1-3.

West End 8, Altoona 4

Altoona 101 010 1 — 4 8 2

West End 120 311 x — 8 7 0

Akins, Tremel (2), Hendricks (4) and Walters. Liam Lucas, Anthony Dunlap (6) and Emerson Lehman. W: Lucas. L: Akins.

Top Altoona hitters: Zich 3-3, RBI; Mickey 1-4, RBI; Akins 1-3, 2 RBIs; McConnell 1-2, 3B, run; Hendricks 1-2, 2 runs; Dively 1-2. Top West End hitters: Collin Brandt 2-3, 2 RBIs, BB, 2 runs; Nick Dincher 2-3, 2 runs.

West End 4, Altoona 2

(CHAMPIONSHIP GAME)

Altoona 000 001 1 — 2 2 3

West End 120 010 x — 4 5 3

McConnell, Diveley (6) and Walters. Emerson Lehman, James Naughton (6) and Bennett Singer. W: Lehman. L: McConnell.

Top Altoona hitters: McConnell 1-3, run; Walters 1-3, RBI. Top West End hitters: Liam Lucas 2-2, 2B, RBI, run; Andrew Yerger 1-2; Nick Dincher 1-2, run; Bennett Singer 1-2.