West Deptford Little League Hoists Another Banner

Prior to the start of the District 15 10-11 All-Star Baseball Tournament, West Deptford head coach Gus Knestaut talked to his players about all of the championship banners that hang around the town’s Little League complex.

“I told them that you can come back here 20 years from now and see the sign, and maybe have your kids there and say, “Hey, that’s your dad.’" Knestaut said. "These kids wanted their names on the sign hanging up on the complex.”

So they went out and achieved it.

West Deptford led from start to finish in a 9-3 win over Logan Township in Sunday’s championship game.

“They went out and played like champions today, they really did,” Knestaut said.

Pitcher Matt Knestaut pitched five-and-a-third innings of one-hit ball, with six strikeouts, to advance West Deptford to the Section 4 Tournament, which begins on Wednesday. The local stars will take on Cherry Hill Atlantic at Rancocas Valley at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the opening game of the double-elimination tournament.

Plenty of players had big roles in Sunday’s win. Jared Schultes was 2-for-3 with a walk and scored three runs, while Adrian Mason was 2-for-3 with a double and a run.

Matt Knestaut supported his own cause by going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Mike Flaherty had a double.

While West Deptford never trailed, the game remained in doubt until the top of the sixth. West Deptford led 5-3 entering the final frame and broke loose for four runs, including three that came with two outs.

The late outburst was nothing new for a team that has been making a habit of coming up big in the late innings.

The extra runs were more than enough for Knestaut, who had to leave with one out in the bottom of the sixth after reaching his pitch count limit. Jake Keuler came in for the last two outs on the mound to close the victory.

“(Matt) had his changeup working tonight so that significantly helped him,” said his father Gus. “He was jacked up for the game. He couldn’t wait to get there, and he knew he was pitching tonight. He loves to do it. He eats, sleeps and breathes baseball like most of these kids do.”

The game drew big local crowds as the 10-11 team became the second West Deptford squad this summer to win a district championship.

“It’s been fun and exciting,“ Knestaut said. “Our 12-year-olds won their district, and now our 11-year-olds do it, so it has been a good run for the kids. Its nice to see that these guys’ hard work paid off for them. They were excited tonight.”

And they figure to be just as excited on Wednesday.

“It’s a great group of kids,” Knestaut said. “A lot of our games have been close and they keep coming through. They keep chugging along like a train that wont stop.”