District III’s dream of winning the Big League softball World Series came to an end on Saturday evening.
Pitcher Connor Stockstill limited the Sussex County squad to just three hits as U.S. Southwest downed District III, 6-1, in the Big League World Series semifinals.
U.S. Southwest (5-1), from Louisiana, will play in today’s championship game at 3 p.m. at Lower Sussex Little League.
District III finishes the tournament 3-3, with two of its losses coming against U.S. Southwest.
On Saturday, U.S. Southwest took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. It led 5-0 before District III scored its only run in the bottom of the fourth.
District III scored when Taylor Collins doubled home Mya Maddox, who singled. The Sussex County squad had two of its three hits in the inning.
The only other hit for District III was a single from Mika Walker. Stockstill struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.
U.S. Southwest finished with 10 hits off two District III pitchers. Maddox had five strikeouts in four innings of relief.
9-10 tournament
Camden-Wyoming 3, New Jersey 1: Winning pitcher Peyton Shields struck out nine as state champion Camden-Wyoming won its opener in the Eastern Regional in Dallas, Pa. on Saturday.
Camden-Wyoming is right back in action this morning when it faces Maryland at 10:30 in the second of four pool-play games.
Shields also had a double and a stolen base, Sydney Hatch and Vanessa Gaines each had a hit and a run scored, Ashlyn Schmidt doubled and Ella Wadhams scored Camden-Wyoming’s other run.
Football
Callahan ready for spotlight: This may only be another NFL preseason game. But for former Wesley College football star Joe Callahan, tonight’s Green Bay-Indianapolis game is the chance of a lifetime.
Callahan is expected to start at quarterback for the Packers when they face the Colts at 8 p.m. (ESPN) in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
“First NFL snap, there’s definitely going to be some nerves but then there’s going to be a lot of excitement, too,” said Callahan. “I’m going to try and make sure I’m level-headed and calm so I’m not firing the ball all over the place. That’s one of the things: Don’t let my emotions get the best of me.”
As an undrafted free agent, Callahan still faces an uphill climb just to make an NFL roster. But the Packers seem confident in Callahan after working with him the last few months.
The fact that Callahan was a fan of former Packer QB Brett Favre as a kid — and Favre is being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend — makes this something of a storybook moment for last year’s Gagliardi Trophy winner in Division III.
“He was my favorite player growing up,” said Callahan. “I tried to play like him when I was a kid. Then getting signed by the Packers and now this whole Hall of Fame Game the year of his induction, it’s a pretty cool experience and great to be a part of.”
Callahan has been in Canton’s Tom Benson Stadium before. He was a freshman backup quarterback in 2011 when the Wolverines beat Walsh, 28-3, in 2011.
Callahan said he expects to have a lot of family and friends at tonight’s game.