For the Pennsbury Falcons 11U baseball team, this summer was the culmination of years of hard work, commitment, and a belief in one another. Led by head coach Tom Aschenbrenner, the group of 11 boys predominantly from Yardley and Lower Makefield etched their names into local history by earning a spot in the 11U Cal Ripken World Series in Florence, Alabama, becoming the first 11U squad from Bucks County in more than decade to ever achieve the honor.
“This is the greatest accomplishment of our time together,” said Aschenbrenner, who has been coaching the boys since they were seven. “When we won the Mid-Atlantic Regional tournament by defeating the best teams from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Maryland, the parents and I could not have been more proud.”
The journey began long before the bright lights of the World Series. The Falcons train year-round, starting indoors each January before moving to Macclesfield Park and Greg Caiola Baseball Park in Lower Makefield for outdoor practices in the spring. Their schedule is grueling: twice-weekly practices, local travel league play, and high-level tournaments against some of the region’s toughest “club teams.”
Unlike many of their opponents, these “club teams” with paid professional coaches and rosters assembled from across multiple states, the Falcons are a true “town team,” made up of local boys from the Yardley area. “When we tell teams we’re a town team, people question why we’re competing in such high-end tournaments,” Aschenbrenner explained. “They think we’re out of our league. But then they see us play, and they realize we belong.”
That competitive edge carried over into the Falcons’ success in the District 3 Cal Ripken tournament, the Southeast Pennsylvania State Tournament, and ultimately the Mid-Atlantic Regionals, qualifying them to compete in the 11U Cal Ripken World Series that took place July 31 through August 9.
Aschenbrenner noted that this group of boys is the reigning district 3 champs having won this district competition for four consecutive years as the Pennsbury Falcons 8U, 9U, 10U, and now 11U.
The teams from Pennsbury are registered as part of the Cal Ripken league instead of Little League for practical reasons. One key difference is the birthday cutoff. “In Little League, the cutoff is August 31, which means kids who have later birthdays get pushed up a year early,” Aschenbrenner explained. “Cal Ripken’s May 1 cutoff lets kids compete with others their own age. It’s more equitable in terms of size, strength, and speed.”
Another distinction is the field. Cal Ripken’s 11U division plays on “50/70” fields, 50 feet from the mound to home plate, and 70 feet between bases, rather than Little League’s smaller “46/60” dimensions. The rules of the game under Cal Ripken are a little different,” Aschenbrenner said. “The kids can take leads, steal bases, and play a game that looks more like what you see when you watch the Phillies. It makes the transition to the full-size field much smoother.”
Beyond baseball skills, Aschenbrenner emphasized multi-sport participation and team culture. Every player on the Falcons also competes in another sport; basketball, football, lacrosse, hockey, or wrestling. “I feel that makes them better athletes and more coachable,” he said. “They bring different strengths and perspectives, and when we come together, the sum of our parts is much greater than the individual pieces.”
That team-first mentality has become the Falcons’ identity. “We practice like we play,” Aschenbrenner said. “When they step on that field, it’s serious, but we keep it fun. They perform their best when they’re relaxed and enjoying the game.”
When the team arrived in Alabama for the World Series, they weren’t sure what to expect. Opponents included powerhouse teams from California, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, teams that play baseball year-round. “We came in with low expectations,” Aschenbrenner admitted. “But after a few games, we realized we could compete.”
The Falcons battled Hawaii in a 6-2 loss, then bounced back to beat Virginia and Puerto Rico in pool play. What made those wins especially memorable was the sheer size difference between the teams. “Puerto Rico’s players looked like 14 or 15 year-olds,” Aschenbrenner said. “The average size of the players on their roster was significantly greater than that of our boys. It really was a David versus Goliath matchup, but our kids never backed down.”
They entered bracket play as the number 5 ranked team out of 12, where they defeated a team from Alabama in the first round of bracket play, then shocked Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals with a thrilling win in extra innings, 8–5, to reach the semifinals.
Though their run ended with a 7–2 loss to eventual World Series champion South Lexington, Kentucky, the Falcons had already surpassed expectations. “Beating Puerto Rico was truly the highlight,” Aschenbrenner said. “Those boys were so much bigger, but ours proved that heart and teamwork could beat size.”
For the players, the experience was unforgettable. Eleven-year-old catcher and first baseman Owen Bertoli, who was named to the World Series All-Star team, called the extra-innings win over Puerto Rico his most memorable moment. “It was an honor to be selected,” Owen said of the All-Star recognition. “But it probably had a lot to do with how well our team played. We advanced to the semifinals, and I hit well in some of the important games.”
While the tournament showcased their talent, Aschenbrenner stressed that the experience went beyond wins and losses. The players built friendships with kids from across the country, exchanged pins and souvenirs, and learned that despite differences in size or background, they were all just 11-year-old boys who loved baseball.
“They left feeling proud,” Aschenbrenner said. “They realized they belonged among the best. Even though we lost in the semifinals, it was an amazing experience. They’ll carry that confidence into next year.”
For many of the Falcons, the highlight was their extra-innings win over Puerto Rico in bracket play. However, just qualifying to play in the World Series demonstrated to them that their team truly was one of the best in the U.S.
“We came in unsure if we belonged,” Aschenbrenner said. “But competing the way we did, advancing to the semi-finals and being one of the last 4 teams in the 11U World Series showed these boys that when they play together, they can accomplish anything.”
