And on Saturday afternoon, that journey was completed.

Loyalsock’s major baseball team won the District 12 championship at Volunteer Stadium over East Lycoming in a thriller, 6-5. The victory gave Loyalsock Little League its first District 12 championship in nearly 20 years, and just the third championship since 2000.

“It’s huge. It’s been from what I’ve heard since 2008 that Loyalsock had a title like this,” Loyalsock manager Jake King said. “I told boys before that I’m uber proud of those guys. They’ve been grinding for almost two months now and to have this as the ending for it, to win a district title here at this place? You can’t ask for anything more.”

“100% it is (nice for players to win the title). All of these kids deserve it,” King added.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock Little League players celebrate their win over East Lycoming at the end of a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

Loyalsock’s players took the obligatory victory lap with the banner around the outfield wall at Volunteer Stadium, but East Lycoming made Loyalsock sweat it out in the final few at bats.

Loyalsock led 6-2 as East Lycoming was down to its final at bats, and East Lycoming started to spark and made things interesting. Wyatt Group reached on a walk to open the inning before Cael Smith hit a single to put two runners on. Kiptyn Holmes grounded out, but moved the runners and drove in Group, who reached third on a passed ball. Then, with an 0-1 count, Reed Hansen crushed a home run over the 225-foot wall in left field to make it a one-run ball game with just one out.

“Oh it definitely energized us. We did what we had to do the first two guys got on, we knew we had something going. And then to get in a spot where Reed can come up, that was an absolute crush job,” East Lycoming manager Kyle Daugherty said. “Not a lot of kids who play here in August (for the World Series) hit it like that. For him to do that in that moment, he’s just been working so hard all year long. We knew that he was going to do that at one point.”

With the game being 6-5 with just one out, King put Jackson King on the mound to relieve Maverick Garman and King shut East Lycoming down. After a bunt single by Willy Ochs put the tying runner on first, King struck out Jase Spring before forcing a grounder to end the game and secure Loyalsock’s first title in 18 years.

“A win’s a win, a title’s a title. We knew coming into this game whether we had WALL or Hughesville, they’d come in and they were going to battle,” King said. “That’s what Hughesville did. I tip my hat to those guys. That’s a really good team. They gave it everything they could obviously to make it a 6-5 game at the end. They gave it their all.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Reed Hansen jumps on home plate after hitting a home run during a District 12 Majors Championship game against Loyalsock on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

Loyalsock scored a run in the top of the first inning to strike early. Antonio Valentine was hit by a pitch to open the inning and was driven to second after Ben Gusick hit a single that dropped into left. A bunt single by Jackson King loaded the bases and a walk to Garman brought in Valentine.

Loyalsock then added four more runs in the third inning thanks to seeing eight players have at bats. A single by Lucas Frey and double into left by Brennan Comerford put two runners on before a strikeout. Loyalsock then had a string of three consecutive hits, including a huge two-RBI triple to the left-field fence by Gusick, and Loyalsock suddenly went ahead 5-0.

“(Those runs early) were very important with the end of the game how it was. That’s always kind of our philosophy is try to scratch runs early to get a little bit of a cushion so you can maneuver some things with your pitching and have more choices, let’s put it that way,” King said.

East Lycoming cut the deficit to 5-2 in the bottom of the third.

Hank Hunley reached on a one-out walk before he moved to third when Parker Gatsche drilled a double into right-center field. After a ground out put two outs on the scoreboard, Wyatt Group connected on a hit into deep right that dropped on an error, allowing both Hunley and Gatsche to score and break the shutout up.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock Little League players celebrate their win over East Lycoming at the end of a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

“I mean we’ve done that this whole tournament (is fighting until the end). They’re a bunch of tough kids. They really love each other, they love to play with each other,” Daugherty said. “Just to get here was something we talked about from the start. To have the opportunity to sit here and play on this field, you know it’s just unexplainable. They’re fighters. They just go out and fight until the end. That’s all we can ask of them.”

One thing that hurt East Lycoming was struggling to get timely hits when needed. East Lycoming ended the game 3 for 14 with runners’ in scoring position and left a runner on base every inning.

“We had the opportunities, we just never had that big hit. Even in the first inning, Cael (Smith) has a ball that misses by that much and we’re scoring,” Daugherty said, signaling just a few inches with his hands. “Just a couple things didn’t go our way earlier in the game and we had to fight the rest of the game. That’s the way it is.”

Loyalsock, on the other hand, were able to get those hits with runners in scoring position when needed and it proved to be a difference in the win. Loyalsock went 6 for 11, including going 3 for 5 in the third inning.

“It was huge. Without being able to get runners on, you can’t manufacture runs and that’s one thing we preach to these guys,” King said. “Find a way to get on. If you’re in the bottom part of the lineup, it’s your job to roll things back over and get us to the top. Just keeps everything moving through the bottom. So far, so good.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock Little League players celebrate their win over East Lycoming at the end of a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

Loyalsock out-hit East Lycoming, 10-5. Loyalsock was led by Antonio Valentine (2 for 2, two RBIs, two runs, hit batter), Gusick (2 for 3, triple, two RBIs, run), Jackson King (2 for 3, RBI), Brennan Comerford (2 for 2, double, RBI), Jaxton Rupert (1 for 2), Garman (walk, hit batter) and Jack Confer (walk, run).

East Lycoming was led by Hansen (2 for 3, home run, two RBIs, run), Gatsche (1 for 3, double, run), Cael Smith (1 for 2, stolen base, walk, run), Willy Ochs (1 for 2), Hank Hunley (two walks), Holmes (walk, RBI) and Group (walk, two RBIs).

Both Loyalsock and East Lycoming knew that Saturday’s district final would be a battle. Both teams had their aces as well with Gusick and Smith starting the games and going 83 and 85 pitches, respectively.

“Again, they’re a scrappy team and we watched them vs. WALL and other teams, we’ve seen them play. We knew what we were getting ourselves into and we knew it was going to be a close game,” King said. “Unless we put the pedal down and go, and tip of hat to their pitchers, they kept us off balance all day with a little knuckleball and little things like that. They threw well.”

“We knew it from the start (it would be a battle). We’ve done it for three games now (in the elimination bracket). This team just keeps playing hard no matter who throws. We’ve faced some really good teams to get here and we knew Loyalsock, obviously they’re district champions for a reason,” Daugherty said. “Kudos to them, Gusick did a really nice job keeping us off balance. A couple timely hits earlier in the game would have helped us, but hats off to them. They did what they needed to do.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock Little League receive their Championship medals after a win over East Lycoming in a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

Gusick threw 3 1/3 innings before reaching 83 pitches and coming out of the game. He allowed just two hits and two runs with four walks and five strikeouts before exiting. Smith went the distance for East Lycoming, throwing 85 pitches, the max he could, and leaving after 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts.

East Lycoming put together an outstanding run this year, having to string together three consecutive losers’ bracket elimination wins to reach the championship game and knocked off talented teams such as South Williamsport, Keystone and Williamsport Area in consecutive games to get to Saturday. The end result didn’t go East Lycoming’s way, but Daugherty’s more than proud of his players for what they did.

“They’re fighters. They just go out and fight until the end. That’s all we can ask of them,” Daugherty said.

Now, Loyalsock focuses its attention to this upcoming week’s Section 3 tournament, a tournament Loyalsock Little League hasn’t competed at in nearly 20 years.

“We’re excited to get there,” King said.

Loyalsock 6, East Lycoming 5

Loyalsock 104 010 — 6 10 2

East Lycoming 002 003 — 5 5 1

Ben Gusick, Maverick Garman (4), Jackson King (6) and Blake Richardson. Cael Smith, Willy Ochs (6) and Wyatt Group. W: Gusick. L: Smith. SV: Garman.

Top Loyalsock hitters: Antonio Valentine 2-2, HBP, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Ben Gusick 2-3, 3B, 2 RBIs, run; Jackson King 2-3, RBI; Maverick Garman BB, HBP; Jack Confer BB, run; Lucas Frey 1B, run; Brennan Comerford 2-2, 2B, RBI; Jaxton Rupert 1-2. Top East Lycoming hitters: Reed Hansen 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs, run; Parker Gatsche 1-3, 2B, run; Wyatt Group BB, 2 RBIs; Cael Smith 1-2, BB, SB, run; Kiptyn Holmes BB, RBI; Willy Ochs 1-2; BB; Hank Hunley 2 BBs.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock Little League players run a lap after their win over East Lycoming in a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock Little League players run a lap after their win over East Lycoming in a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock Little League players pose with their banner after their win over East Lycoming in a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming Little League players collect dirt from the field after a District 12 Majors Championship game against Loyalsock on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Cael Smith throws during a District 12 Majors Championship game against Loyalsock on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Ben Gusick throws during a District 12 Majors Championship game against East Lycoming on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Brennan Lomerford celebrates a double during a District 12 Majors Championship game against East Lycoming on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock manager Jake King encourages Lucas Frey on his way back to the dugout during a District 12 Majors Championship game against East Lycoming on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming pitcher Cael Smith and catcher Wyatt Group meet on the mound during a District 12 Majors Championship game against Loyalsock on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming catcher Wyatt Group snag a pop fly during a District 12 Majors Championship game against Loyalsock on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock manager Jake King meets with his players on the mound during a District 12 Majors Championship game against East Lycoming on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock's Maverick Gorman takes over on the mound during a District 12 Majors Championship game against East Lycoming on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Parker Gatsche attempts the tag at first on Loyalsock's Jaxton Rupert during a District 12 Majors Championship game on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent East Lycoming's Willy Ochs takes over on the mound during a District 12 Majors Championship game against Loyalsock on Saturday at Volunteer Stadium in South Williamsport. Loyalsock won 6-5.