SENECA, Pa. (EYT) — A pair of three-run innings helped DE Sports, representing the Clarion Little League, win its third straight District 25 Tournament Big League championship with an 8-4 win over the Venango County All-Stars Saturday afternoon at Cranberry.

(Photo of DE Sports, District 25 Big League Champions. Photo courtesy of Cranberry Area Little League Facebook)

With the victory, Clarion advances to the Pennsylvania Big League Championships being played July 1-5 at Mansfield University.

“The kids are excited to win and go back to Mansfield for the state tournament,” Clarion manager Lee Weber said. “We have won District 25 three years in a row. The first year, we decided not to go to states due to kids going on vacation during the same week. We didn’t expect to do that well in our first season in Big League. Last year, I made sure everyone knew the date for States, and we surprise everyone, including ourselves, by finishing second in the state. This year, we lost only two starters so we expected to do well. In the past three years, we were 40-3 in the regular season including 27-0 the last two years.”

Cam Craig delivered a two-run single in the top of the second to give DE Sports a 3-0 lead one batter after a Derek Lauer single put the Clarion County group on top for good.

Zayn Hargenrader then made it 4-0 with a base hit in the top of the third, and the North Clarion High School product came around to score on a throwing error by Venango catcher Dylan Rodemoyer on a steal of second by Hargenrader. Lauer then added an RBI double later in the inning to put DE Sports up 6-0.

Venango fought back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third with Tyler Knupp scoring on an error and Nolan Brannon singling home Brady Wilson.

Both teams then pushed across runs in the fourth with a Ryan Anthony single making it 7-2 DE Sports before a groundout scored a run for Venango in the bottom of the inning.

Venango then crept within three, 7-4, with a run in the fifth when Andrew Gunn scored on an error.

But DE Sports got the run back in the sixth when Craig scored on an error.

Lauer and Craig were both 2-for-3 with a double each, two RBIs apiece and two runs scored each to lead DE Sports. Sam Leadbetter also added a double while 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Venango managed just three hits off a trio of Clarion pitchers, all singles, with Knupp, Brannon and Seth Wilson delivering the knocks.

Adrian Weber started and picked up the win for DE Sports. He went four innings allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits and six walks while striking out three.

Lauer replaced him allowing an unearned run in the fifth while walking two and striking out one. Reed Anthony then pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three, to finish the game off.

Brannon suffered the loss going 3 ⅓ innings and allowing six runs, three earned, on four hits and three walks while striking out one. Brady Wilson allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits in 3 ⅔ innings of action.

A bracket for the state tournament will be released June 29.