In May, CSA (Crescenta Sports Association) conducted its Pinto Division championship baseball game that featured La Cañada Pool & Patio and Jesse’s Construction, the regular season’s first and second seeded teams.

Pool & Patio jumped ahead with a 4-0 lead after the first inning and the baseball action featured three lead changes in six innings. As much as both teams battled to display quality baseball plays there was a subtle indication that there was something special about the would-be champions: As parents, family, friends, and fans tossed beach balls between innings at Two Strike Park, they heard the chant of “Brothers, brothers, brothers” emerging from the collective voices of CSA’s La Cañada Pool & Patio, which are (mostly) 7-year-old players.

La Cañada Pool & Patio won the game with a two-run lead and two outs in the top of the last inning. Jesse’s Construction sailed a fly ball to right field. Pool and Patio players relayed the ball to home plate in time for the game-winning tag out.

When the game concluded with a 9-7 score, everyone stayed for the closing ceremony festivities while proud parents from both teams assembled on the field to capture a snapshot.

Before distributing trophies to his players, Coach Joshua Godson said, “Our baseball journey all year long as a team had very little to do with winning and losing. Our measure of success had always been determined by your ability to build a brotherhood.”