The Stefanics/Remax Red Hot Chili Peppers defeated Nottingham Little League 8-1 on Sunday in Nottingham to take home the District 12 Tournament of Champions crown.  It was a complete team effort from top to bottom with a bunch of sparkling defensive plays sprinkled in.

Matt Boss lead the charge by pitching 5 and 1/3 innings yielding only 1 run and 2 hits while striking out 10.  

Boss got the Peppers going with a huge 2 run HR in the first inning, leaving a lucky fan a souvenir mark for their windshield.  

Team Red kept up the pressure in the 2nd inning with a hustle double from Nick Wysokowski.  Christian Deane followed with a great bunt that he nearly legged out.  Nottingham was able to get out of the inning, keeping Robbinsville off the board.

With the Peppers leading 2-0 in the 3rd, Ben Deane made a full out diving catch of a sinking line drive to end the 3rd inning.

Eddie Keating got the rally started in the Peppers half of the 4th with a bullet single.  Cole Hoffman followed with a single and then stole 2nd the following pitch.  

With 2nd and 3rd, Nate Manning lined a single into left field scoring Keating.  Manning stole 2nd on the next pitch setting up 2nd and 3rd.  

Jack Lawrence closed the Pepper rally driving in two with a single to right field making it 5-0 Stefanics/Remax.  

In the Nottingham half of the 4th with a runner on first, Boss induced a ground ball to 2nd.  With ice cream on the line, Lawrence to Keating to Hoffman completed the 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Timmy Cabral (TC) lead off the 5th with a single to right field.  On base machine, Kenny Sikorski legged out an infield single bringing Gavin Sullivan to the plate with 2 on.

As if he had not blocked enough balls behind the plate all day, Sullivan was drilled in the arm to load the bases.

Mr. Clutch Boss followed with a 2 run double and Keating closed it out with a sac fly to deep center field. 

Nottingham tried to mount a rally in the 6th, but Gavin Sullivan came on to close it out.  The final out was a fly ball to left which Timmy Cabral squeezed and the celebration was on.

The coaches noted how engaged and fired up these young men were the entire game.  The Robbinsville crowd traveled well rooting the boys on all day.  Nottingham Little League was a very gracious host and ran a great tournament.

A huge thanks to The Stefanics/Remax group for sponsoring our team and, specifically Vanessa for being on hand for the game.   

The Peppers were coached by head coach Tim Hoffman and assistants Tim Sullivan and Mike Lawrence.