The HLBA 12-year-old all-stars are now just one game away from clinching a berth in this year’s Cal Ripken State Tournament.

Honesdale cruised to a berth in this year’s District Five title tilt by posting back-to-back wins over Paupack and DV Valley at Kennedy Park in Forest City.

Coach Andy Box’s team drew an opening round bye, then dealt the young Buckhorns a 7-0 set-back on Sunday.

The HLBA All-Stars played DV for a second time Tuesday night and hammered out a 7-4 victory over the  Warriors, who had battled their way back out of the losers’ bracket.

Early Explosion
Gus Martin strode to the hill as Honesdale’s starting pitcher on Tuesday and turned in a stel-lar performance.

The fireballing righty held a high-octane DV offense scoreless in the opening two frames. Gus would go on to pitch four solid innings and earn the win.

Honesdale staked Martin to a lead thanks to a four-run rally in the top of the third.

Nate Redick reached base on a one-out fielder’s choice. He took second on a passed ball and eventually scored the game’s first run on a Pat Hart single.

Noah Box joined Hart on the basepaths by working a walk. Moments later, both lads were trotting home courtesy of Gavin Canfield’s second homer in as many District Five games.

Canfield, who started off the contest at third base, took a strike from DV starter Steve Newman. He then crushed the next pitch over the wall. This 3-run Big Fly gave the HLBA All-Stars a 4-0 lead.

Chipping Away
Delaware Valley refused to go quietly in this one. The young Warriors tallied a run in each of the final four innings to make a game of it.

Martin surrendered one unearned run in the bottom of the third, then loaded the bases in the fourth before Coach Box paid  a visit to the mound.

Honesdale’s skipper decided to go to the pullpen, calling on Pat Hart to pitch his team out of touble. The HLBA’s reliever did just that. Hart fanned the first two batters he faced, then induced a weak comebacker for the third and final out.

The Maple City boys responded by getting that run right back in the top of the fourth.

Nick Casazza opened the inning by belting a two-bagger. The fleet-footed first baseman promptly swiped third and tallied on an infield error.

Delaware Valley by plating an unearned run in each of the final two frames. Hart was charged with the first and Casazza, who closed the game out, allowed the second.

Honesdale put the game away for good with a 2-run uprising in the sixth.

Alex Meyer led off with a base hit and moved up on a perfectly-executed sacrifice by Reed

McLaughlin. Ron Krempasky and Noah Box both reached on outfield errors.

Meyer and Krempasky each crossed the plate on lethal DV defensive miscues.

Score by Innings...
HON (2-0)  0  0  4  1  0  2 - 7
DV    (2-2)  0  0  1  1  1  1 - 4