Grosse Pointe wins L.L. Championship

In a game that took less than 90 minutes to play, Grosse Pointe Woods Shores defeated Bay City Northwest, 1-0, in the Little League Majors state baseball championship game in Ishpeming.

Grosse Pointe pitcher Chad Lorkowski pitched a complete game, one-hitter for Woods Shores, while striking out 11.

Joey Rheaume hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning for Grosse Pointe Woods Shores. That was the only run of the game.

“We told the kids six weeks ago that you don’t have to be the best athletes, you have to be the best team and that’s what we were,” said Grosse Pointe manager Tom Mazzola.

“We had the best pitching, we had the best defense. These kids are so cool, calm, and collected. They expect to win and you don’t find that (everyday). You get highs and you get lows, and these kids are always right here (in the middle), and it’s special,” added Mazzola.

“I don’t really care about the strikeouts, I was just trying to get them (Bay City Northwest) to ground out, so I could save my pitches to go late in the game,” said Grosse Pointe pitcher Chad Lorkowski. He threw just 66 pitches in the contest.

“I didn’t want my Little League career to end today,” Lorkowski went on to say.

With the win, Grosse Pointe Woods Shores advances to the Little League regional tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., on August 2.