Legion Baseball (Credit: Bux-Mont Legion Baseball)
For the first time in three summers, the Quakertown Blue Jays will not be bringing home a Region 2 or state title.
The reigning champions saw their bid for a three-peat come to an end Tuesday afternoon, falling 3-2 to West Lawn in a hard-fought semifinal matchup at Boyertown Area Senior High School’s Bear Stadium, according to The Times Herald.
Despite a strong start and flashes of postseason grit, Quakertown could not reclaim the late-game magic that fueled their championship runs in 2023 and 2024.
The Blue Jays jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, sparked by a leadoff single from Gerry Stanziola and a sharp RBI double down the left field line from veteran slugger Cole Reich, per the report.
A sacrifice fly from Caleb Everitt brought Reich home to cap the early rally, but the bats would go quiet from there.
West Lawn responded immediately in the bottom of the first, knotting the score at 2-2 after capitalizing on two hit batters and a wild pitch, according to the article. An error-filled second inning allowed the go-ahead run to cross the plate, and Quakertown never regained the lead.
Lefty Cooper Natisin kept Quakertown in the game with a stellar relief performance, tossing five shutout innings while scattering four hits and striking out five. His poise on the mound gave the Blue Jays every chance to mount a comeback, but West Lawn’s Cooper Kennedy proved equally dominant, according to The Times Herald.
After giving up five hits through the first three innings, Kennedy retired the final 14 batters he faced to seal the win.
Quakertown’s exit from the Region 2 tournament marks the end of a memorable run for a core group of players who helped deliver back-to-back championships.
While this year fell just short of another title, the Blue Jays still secured a second straight Bux-Mont League championship and rattled off a 17-game win streak during the regular season.
