THE MELROSE 12-year-old Williamsport All-Stars beat Somerville 4-0 last Friday at Lewis Monk Field to win the District 12 Championship. Melrose competed in the Section 3 Tournament at Sacramone Field in Everett this week against Needham and Parkway. They will meet Somerville again on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The top two teams after round robin play will meet in the championship on Saturday night at 6 p.m. (Courtesy Photo)

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

MELROSE — Last Friday evening, the Melrose 12-year-old Williamsport baseball team shut out guest Somerville, 4-0, at Lewis Monk Field.

With that win, Melrose captured the District 12 championship.

What made this feat more impressive is that Melrose had to beat Somerville twice as Somerville beat Melrose in the tournament opener.

Victor Dale was the hero in this one, pitching all six innings. He gave up four hits, no walks and he struck out six.

“Victor was dominant on the mound and had great control,” said Melrose head coach Pat Keefe. “He didn’t give up a single walk, which any Little League coach loves to see.”

Melrose got on the board in the top of first inning as Thomas Keefe hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Joseph Martin (Somerville won the coin toss and was the designated home team).

Melrose added one run in the second on a Miles Rosell RBI single to make it 2-0.

The other two runs came in the top of the sixth as Ryan Silva and James Buono had RBI singles. Silva was the team’s lone multiple hitter going 2 for 2 as the team had seven total hits.

Charlie Cooper Dawson was the starting pitcher for Somerville 12’s. He gave up three hits and two runs over five and one-third innings, striking out six and walking three.

Both teams played error-free ball.

“This was a very good game by both teams,” said Keefe. “It was much tighter than the score suggests.”

Keefe was pleased with the resistance his squad showed.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team for grinding our way through the losers bracket and coming back to win the district championship against Somerville after our initial 1-0 loss to them in the opening game of the tournament,” he said. “We could’ve put our head down and packed it in for the summer but instead we got after it. I’m especially proud that we only gave up four runs over six games in the district tournament. That speaks to the strength of our pitching and defense.”

On July 10, Melrose beat Somerville 13-1 at Conway Park in Somerville.

The hosts scored once in the bottom of the first inning but Melrose tied it in the top of the second as Evan Snow had an RBI single that plated Cam Stratford, who reached on a walk.

Stratford walked twice in the game.

“Scoring that run to tie it was huge for our confidence after they beat us 1-0 in the first match-up,” pointed out Keefe.

Melrose took control in the top of the third scoring six times. The biggest blow in the inning was a three-run double by Cruz Ramirez, who was 2 for 3.

In the sixth, they added six more runs.

Stratford and Ollie O’Leary both drew bases-loaded walks, scoring two runs. Miles Rosell then had a two-run double.

Snow, who went 2 for 3 at the dish, added an RBI single while the sixth run came on an error.

Thomas Keefe pitched a complete game for the win. He gave up two hits and one run (unearned), two walks and he fanned seven.

Melrose, who had seven hits, had patience at the plate, accumulating seven walks.

On defense, Melrose turned two double plays in the game.

Melrose played Needham and Parkway in the first two games of the Section 3 tournament on July 17 and 18 (results not available at press time).

The third game will be on July 19 as they face Somerville at Sacramone Park in Everett at 7:30 p.m.

The title game will take place the next night, also at Sacramone Park, with that contest starting at 6 p.m. The teams that place first and second in the round robin play will compete.