Ron Davis, an 11-year MLB pitcher and long-time youth baseball manager in Scottsdale, recently led his baker’s dozen of 14U boys to another Pony State Baseball Championship.

The 13 boys from Fountain Hills, Scottsdale and Tempe make up the Sidewinders, who swept all of their games and outscored their opponents 23-4 over the three-day tournament played at the Scottsdale Copper Ridge fields.

The Sidewinders’ pitching was outstanding, according to the coaching staff, led by Riley Barrett who allowed one earned run in nine innings and Logan Boch who allowed no runs in four innings.

The Sidewinders’ offense combined for a team OPS (on base percentage plus slugging average) of 864, led by Tom Pederson (2,000), Mike Rossi (1,170), Carter Crawford and Dylan Petersdorf (1,100), Riley Barrett (1,065) and Jackson Coup (1,000).

The opening game Friday night was a tight 5-0 contest versus Southeast Valley, with Logan Boch pitching four shutout innings with nine strikeouts, and Josh Henig driving in two of the five runs.

A quick turnaround to an early 9 a.m. Saturday morning game didn’t faze the boys as they blew out a Chandler team 14-2 in a shortened five inning game.

The offense was led by Aidan Rowland and Mike Rossi, both two for three batting and driving in four and three runs respectively.

Defensively, Jack Barry, Jack Godfrey, Tristan Ragan and Aidan Rowland made key defensive plays to stifle any Chandler rally, saving multiple potential runs.

Pitching was led by starter Tom Pederson with three no-hit innings and seven strikeouts, and Jackson Coup closing the game with an inning of no-hit relief with two strikeouts.

The championship game was another early morning affair on Sunday, June 28, and it turned into the Riley Barrett, Fid Hoebing and Carter Crawford show.

Riley threw a complete game five-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Fid doubled and drove in three runs, including the key third and fourth runs.

Finally, Carter scored two of the four runs, including the game winner. The final score was 4-2, with the Scottsdale Sidewinders becoming the newly crowned 2015 Arizona Pony State Baseball Champions.

“All the boys played their best three games of the year,” said Sidewinders Manager Ron Davis.

“We peaked at the right time. I’d like to thank the parents for putting in the commitment to practices and games and understanding the ups and downs of a long season and the commitment it takes to get their kids ready for high school baseball.

“I’d also like to thank the umpires for their professional calling of the games, the opposing teams for their class and Jim Teeter, who as long-time Arizona director of Pony Baseball, does so much volunteering for the benefit of our youth.”

“Go west, young men” is the team’s new mantra, as they head to California to the Western Pony Regionals to compete against other Western state teams from July 30 to Aug. 2.

The team hopes to continue on to the international tournament in Pennsylvania the following week.