The Austin Stars 12AA Moose Red Team went 4-1 in pool play and beat Shelby, a team from La Crosse, Wis., by a score of 6-5 in the championship game at the 34th Annual International 12 year old Baseball Tournament this past weekend at Todd Park.

“They (Shelby) were going to get their runs but so were we. I told the boys to hang in there and that it would be a fight to the end,” said Austin head coach Mark Conner.

The Stars tied the game at five by scoring two in the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple to the right field corner by Jake Lunt. Jake then went to work on the mound to keep it tied by retiring the side in the top of the sixth.

The Stars got a base hit from their lead off hitter Jack Dankert and he reached scoring position on a passed ball at the plate. Pete Conner laid down a bunt to not only move Jack to third but reach first base by beating the throw.

With runners on the corners and nobody out, the Shelby Team chose to intentionally walk Drew Copley to fill the bases. Riley Wempner came to the plate with a tied score, nobody out, bases loaded and the infield in looking for an out. Riley welcomed the opportunity and proceeded to put the ball in play for a walk off base hit to score the sixth and winning run giving the Stars the

Championship.

Coach Conner commended all 12 players and the ownership they took in each of

their roles to position their team for a win.

The tournament drew a total of 12 teams. Austin All-Stars fielded three teams in the tournament, their 12 year old Red Team sponsored by the Moose, their 12 year old Blue Team sponsored by Local 9 and the 11 year old team sponsored by Reichel Foods.

Joining the Austin Stars teams were five other teams from Minnesota, a team from the La Crosse, Wis. area, a team from the Souix Falls, S.D. area and two teams from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.