Last weekend, the fourth-grade Yankees beat the A's 5-2 for the Jericho fourth grade boys Little League championship. This contest was the best-played game of the season and featured outstanding pitching and defensive performances from both teams.

Brian Harris was the winning pitcher for the Yanks and was sensational in allowing only six hits while striking out five batters and walking none. Harris extended his perfect record to 5-0 with a save. Ryan Saunders and David Ackerman both pitched terrifically for the A's in limiting the powerful Yanks to just five runs.

Harris allowed only two hits in the first three innings on singles to Ackerman in the first and Ricky Schweitzer in the third. Saunders was equal to the task and only surrendered a first-inning single to Scott Weinberger through the first two innings. Max Rosen helped Saunders' cause by making a sensational catch in right field off a drive by Matt Loeb in the second inning.

The Yanks finally broke through in the bottom of the third when Adam Kronengold led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. With one out, Chris Kraly hit a smash to centerfield for a two-run homer to give his team the lead. Saunders' pitching line was impressive, giving up only two runs on two hits, with four strikeouts and no walks in his three innings of work.

Harris continued his brilliant performance for the Yanks, retiring all three A's batters in the fourth inning on comebackers to the mound. Ackerman hit a long double in the inning but was stranded on second.

Ackerman came in to pitch in the bottom of the fourth and got two quick outs. The first was on a great bunt by Harris Moore which Ackerman fielded quickly and fired to first. The second was on a long fly ball to right by John Goldsmith which Spencer Ganz made a great catch on. Ganz was out for most of the season with an injury and returned for the championship game to give his team a big lift.

With two outs, the Yanks mounted a rally when Weinberger collected his second hit of the game. Brian Kahn then hit a rope to right-center for a two-run homer to give his team a 4-0 lead. Harris, Evan Kirchblum and Loeb followed with consecutive singles to score Harris with the fifth run.

The A's mustered their own attack in the top of the fifth. After Jordan Abrams lined out to Weinberger at first, Ganz singled. Harris bore down and struck out the next batter for the second out, but Greg Oxenberg hit a long fly ball triple to right which scored Ganz. Adam Rotter then fought off some tough pitches and drove in Oxenberg with an infield single. Harris got the last out on his seventh comebacker to the mound.

The A's held off the Yanks in the bottom of the fifth despite Brett Novick's line drive single to center and Daniel Schneider's free pass, the only walk issued in the game. In the top of the sixth, Michael Klimcheck singled with one out, but Harris hurled his fifth strikeout and William Hahn hit a sharp liner to short which Goldsmith nabbed for the final out.

The Yankees lived up to their 11-2 regular-season, first-place record to march through the playoffs in impressive fashion. The Yanks had strong contributions from Josh Besserman, who pitched great for his team all season, and Harris Khan, who hit hard groundouts both times up. The A's had solid efforts from Matt Coleman and Adam Reisman, who both played well.