Tournament Results:
Semifinal Round (Friday, August 11):
Levittown American 4, Bentleyville 1
Punxsutawney Groundhog 1, Hazleton National 0
Consolation Game (Saturday, August 12):
Hazleton National 5, Bentleyville 1
Championship Game (Saturday, August 12):
Levittown American 4, Punxsutawney Groundhog 2 (TITLE)
Summary:
Defending champion Levittown American and runner-up Punxsutawney Groundhog returned to the Pennsylvania state championship game in 1961, and as was the case in 1960, Levittown emerged with the title game triumph. Punxsutawney took an early 2-0 lead in the title game when Doug Depp doubled in a pair of runs in the second inning. The early advantage marked the first time Levittown trailed in a tournament game in two years.
The lead held until the sixth, when Levittown rallied. Chet Gardner opened the inning by drawing a walk, and later scored on Gary Saft's double. Danny Pesci -- who shut down Punxsutawney after taking to the mound in relief in the second inning -- then tied the game with a run-scoring single to right field. After Levittown loaded the bases with two outs, Tony Gervasio delivered a two-run single to center that drove home the go-ahead runs.
Levittown had advanced to the championship game with a 4-1 semifinal round win over Bentleyville, while Punxsutawney edged Hazleton National 1-0. Hazleton pitcher Mike Wisniewski, who struck out 12 and walked none, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Rodney White's bunt single, a two-base error, and Alan Smith's infield single plated the game's only run.
Levittown American went on to qualify for the Little League World Series for the second consecutive year by winning the Eastern Region tournament at Haddon Heights, New Jersey. Levittown routed Brockton North Little League (Massachusetts) 14-0 in the semifinals, and then slugged four home runs to overpower Darien Little League (Connecticut) 8-0 in the title game. Levittown lost 1-0 in seven innings in the quarterfinals of the Little League World Series to eventual champion El Cajon Northern Little League (Southern California). It was the first defeat suffered by Levittown in 24 games over a two year span.
Follow Levittown American at the Eastern Region tournament -- Click here to view results.
Linescores:
| Semifinal Round |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
R |
H |
E |
| Levittown American |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
4 |
7 |
- |
| Bentleyville |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
4 |
- |
|
|
| Semifinal Round |
| Hazleton National |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
2 |
- |
| Punxsutawney Groundhog |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
- |
|
|
| Consolation Game |
| Hazleton National |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
5 |
8 |
0 |
| Bentleyville |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
1 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
| Championship Game |
| Levittown American |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
4 |
4 |
- |
| Punxsutawney Groundhog |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
2 |
- |
|
|
1961 Pennsylvania District Champions and Sectional Tournament Results
District Champions
in Section 1 |
District Champions
in Section 2 |
D1 - Meadville National
D2 - Pymatuning
D3 - Aliquippa National
D4 - Bon Air-Knoxville (Pittsburgh)
D5 - Brighton Heights (Pittsburgh)
D6 - Bentleyville
Section 1 Tournament
Championship Game Host - Washington (District 6)
Tournament Schedule/Results:
1 - Aliquippa National 4, Meadville 3
2 - Bentleyville 4, Bon Air-Knoxville 0
3 - Pymatuning 3, Aliquippa National 0
4 - Bentleyville 5, Brighton Heights 2
5 - Bentleyville 3, Pymatuning 1 (TITLE)
|
D7 - Vandegrift
D8 - Natrona Heights
D9 - Monessen
D10 - Punxsutawney Groundhog
D11 - Huntingdon
D12 - Memorial (Williamsport)
Section 2 Tournament
Championship Game Host - Little League Baseball International Headquarters (South Williamsport) (District 12)
At Howard J. Lamade Field
Tournament Schedule/Results:
1 - Natrona Heights 5, Monessen 0
2 - Punxsutawney Groundhog 3, Huntingdon 0
3 - Vandegrift 4, Natrona Heights 1
4 - Punxsutawney Groundhog 2, Memorial 1
5 - Punxsutawney Groundhog 7, Vandegrift 1 (TITLE)
|
District Champions
in Section 3 |
District Champions
in Section 4 |
D13 - Lewistown National
D14 - Newville
D15 - Northern Tier (Gillett)
D16 - Plymouth
D17 - Jessup Pioneer
D18 - Hazleton National
Section 3 Tournament
Championship Game Host - Sayre (District 15)
Tournament Schedule/Results:
1 - Lewistown National 7, Newville 3
2 - Plymouth 9, Jessup Pioneer 2
3 - Hazleton National 6, Plymouth 5
4 - Northern Tier 6, Lewistown National 2
5 - Hazleton National 3, Northern Tier 2 (TITLE)
|
D19 - Broomall
D20 - Bethlehem Northeast
D21 - Levittown American
D22 - Plymouth Township
D23 - East Side Optimist (West Chester)
D24 - Mahanoy City
Section 4 Tournament
Championship Game Host - Freemansburg (District 20)
At Freemansburg Little League Field
Tournament Schedule/Results:
1 - Levittown American 3, Broomall 0
2 - East Side Optimists 8, Bethlehem Northeast 0
3 - Levittown American 4, Plymouth Township 0
4 - Mahanoy City 4, East Side Optimists 0
5 - Levittown American 9, Mahanoy City 3 (TITLE)
|
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