Norwin Little League team advances to state tournament for 3rd straight season

Will the third time be the charm for the Norwin Little League 11-year-old baseball team?

The coaches and players hope so.

Norwin is making its third trip to the state tournament Saturday, and coach Jason Faust is hoping previous experiences will help them reach the top.

After winning the district tournament by defeating Moon and Ingomar, Norwin advanced to the sectional tournament at Rostraver. There, Norwin defeated West Point, 10-0, and Carmichaels, 10-0 and 5-1.

Now, Norwin will travel to Hermitage, where it will play DuBois at 8 p.m. Saturday.

“We play travel battle, but there is nothing like playing in the Little League tournament. It is so much better, I love it,” Faust said. “The pageantry and the strategy of the games are so exciting.

“We played in the 8-9 and 9-10 state tournament, and these players know what to expect. We’ve added a few players, so we’re hoping it’s enough to advance to the Eastern Regional in Beverly, Mass.”

The other Norwin coaches are Tom Knight and Nick Sivrich.

Norwin finished fifth in 2017 and sixth in 2018.

“Pitching is the key in these tournament, and we have five pitchers that we’re comfortable with,” Faust said. “You have to worry about pitch count and other strategies in the game.”

Norwin has 10 players on the squad, and Faust said the players can play multiple positions. He said there isn’t much of a dropoff of talent.

And even if Norwin doesn’t achieve its goal this season, Faust said there is always next year’s 12U tournament where the team could advance to the World Series in Williamsport.