Lehigh Little League’s minors (10U) all-stars ousted Southern Lehigh from the District 20 tournament with a 5-2 victory on July 6 at Lehigh.

“It was very solid. Good to see,” said Lehigh manager Cory Kempinski. “We came out and played our game tonight. It was a total team effort from top to bottom. The kids did a great job, and I’m really proud of them.”

Southern Lehigh took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Lehigh saved a run when pitcher Zane Balaziuk threw out a runner at home to catcher Julian Correa.

“We knew it from the beginning. That was our mindset to get that play,” said Balaziuk, who worked his two-seam and knuckleball throughout the game.

In the bottom of the first, Correa’s sacrifice fly scored Balaziuk, and Carter Kempinski stole home on a wild pitch to put Lehigh ahead, 2-1.

Lehigh saved another possible run on Ben Spirk’s sliding catch in center field in the second inning.

Southern Lehigh tied the game on Logan Davis’s RBI to left center in the third, but Lehigh took back its lead on Correa’s bases-loaded RBI.

“I was excited because I knew that I could do something, but then I realized that the pitcher started throwing a lot of curveballs and inside pitches, so I had to turn on it more and just get on base,” Correa said. “The pitcher was throwing an inside pitch to me, so I swung early to take it up the middle.”

Balaziuk led off the inning with a double to left center.

“I felt pretty confident, knowing that I could do damage,” he said.

Dallas Cruz reached second base on an error after his hit took a strange bounce at third, and Jack Cresci walked.

Lehigh added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning when Anderson Ryzewski and Correa stole home on a wild pitch.

Balaziuk played first base for the sixth inning where he caught a pop-up for Southern Lehigh’s first out and made an off-balance catch for Solehi’s second out.

“I had to jump, make a leap, and I somehow caught it,” he said.

Ryzewski, who relieved Balaziuk, forced a ground out to end the game.