District 20’s Little League All-Stars opened tournament play in the 10U Minors division on June 25.

Lehigh was a 13-0 winner over Hellertown in four innings, North Bethlehem lost to Southern Lehigh, 9-4, and Northwest had a bye.

“We have lofty goals, but we’re definitely a one-game-at-a-time team, so right now, our eyes are focused on Northwest, Thursday,” said Lehigh manager Dave Cresci. “We have to come up with a plan how to beat them. They always play us tough. They’re right down the road. Good kids. Good coaches. Good families over there. We know them well.”

Lehigh took a 7-0 lead in the first inning against Hellertown and had five stolen bases in the frame.

After Zane Balaziuk’s leadoff walk, Colin Kelly reached second base on two Hellertown errors, scoring Balaziuk.

Lambros Dontas knocked a single to short right field, Jack Cresci hit a double to left, and Brady Collins’s line drive up the middle made the score, 5-0, prompting a Hellertown pitching change.

Noah Domitrovits and Logan Collins followed up with a base hit apiece, and Domitrovits scored on a wild pitch.

Balaziuk retired the side on three strikeouts in the second inning.

“I was feeling really good,” Balaziuk said. “I was feeling strong...Mainly, my fastball and a couple knuckleballs. I feel like we have a really strong team and we could go really far.”

Brady Collins’ 2 RBI single to center extended the lead, 10-0.

“I stayed up to the front of the plate because most of them were slow,” Collins said. “Before the game, my dad told me to stay back, and if it’s a fast pitch, just go back, and he always tells me to stay in the front of the plate, and I just let my bat swing.”

Balaziuk’s double to left field in the third inning scored another run for Lehigh.

“I knew, off the bat, it was good and I was thinking two the whole way,” he said.

Brady Collins finished the game on the mound for Lehigh, and Hellertown’s last batter struck out, looking.

“Most of them were aggressive at the plate,” said Brady Collins, regarding Hellertown’s batters. “I threw one in the dirt and he swung at it, so I wasn’t expecting him to swing at it, but in the same way, I was. Most of them were going for anything, so I just threw it, and that one time he just looked and didn’t swing at all.”

Balaziuk and Brady Collins were credited with the combined no-hitter.

“Pitchers are doing great. It was nice to get two guys some work tonight. Zane did a great job opening. Brady did a great job closing, wrapping things up. It’s good to get both of them on the mound to shake out some of the nerves. They’re through one district game, and hopefully there will be more that they’ll see good action at,” Coach Cresci said.

“It’s just fun at this level, 9-10. They’re pure baseball players, which is great. First and foremost, they play really well together as a team. They’re a tight unit, they’re all friends, they’re aggressive, they’re hungry, they’re scrappy. They’re not the biggest kids, they’re not the smallest kids, but they run the bases really well, and they put the ball in play.”