A year from now, CDO and Marana may both take part in the state Little League (Majors) tournament with District 5 as the host. This year, it will only be Marana advancing to the state tournament starting July 11 at Maricopa (District 4) following its 5-3 win over its rival Tuesday night at Arthur Pack Regional Park.
District 5 will host the state Little League tournament next summer, which means the host team in addition to the district champion (if different teams) can be part of that event that is only two steps from the Little League World Series at Williamsport, Pa.
With Tuesday’s victory, many of Marana’s players avenged a loss to CDO in last year’s 9 to 11 (Minors) District 5 championship.
MARANA DISTRICT 5 LITTLE LEAGUE CHAMPS
They beat CDO 5-3 to advance to the state tournament at Maricopa starting July 11. https://t.co/ALGMc9fMUR pic.twitter.com/vZT0FTWEqQ— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 25, 2025
“We’ve been practicing hard for the last three weeks, six days a week, trying to get to this point,” Marana manager Aaron Uhe said. “That (CDO) is a really, really good baseball team. They’ve actually eliminated us the last two years.
“Our team is very excited about it. Couldn’t be more proud of all the hard work.”
The difference in the game was Marana’s four-run rally in the second inning, fueled by the last half of its lineup.
Its last three batters in the lineup — Linken Vettorell, Jupiter Klemann and Hazen Knight — each had consecutive RBI singles after Aiden Dudek and Dallin Padilla walked and Colton Corrough reached on an error.
Marana manager Aaron Uhe had multiple reasons to be proud – his team beat CDO 5-3 to win the District 5 Little League championship, son Ryan closed the game for the save and bottom of his lineup was the difference generating three runs. pic.twitter.com/pA4TMwipRw
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 25, 2025
Knight’s single concluded the consecutive hits and scored Corrough to give Marana a 4-2 lead.
A dropped third strike with two outs allowed Vettorell to score to increase the lead to 5-2.
“Balanced lineup, these guys are all-stars for a reason,” Uhe said. “We’ve talked about that. Whether you’re the leadoff batter or the 9, 10-hole hitter, everybody’s gotta have a (good) at-bat to be successful and really be about the entire team, not having selfish at-bats.
“They did a really, really good job of that against a really good baseball team.”
CDO reliever A.J. Bourland managed to keep Marana in check the rest of the game scattering three hits in the last four innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Marana needed quality pitching to withstand CDO’s lineup with the way Bourland was dominating on the mouned.
Liam Vasquez pitched an effective 4 1/3 innings before Uhe’s son Ryan relieved him with one out in the fifth and Marana clinging to a 5-3 with a runner on first.
Ryan got the next two batters out to end the inning. With one out in the ninth, he allowed an infield single to Boaz Chop (the only hit he allowed) before getting the next two batters to fly out and ground out to end the game.
Marana’s Ryan Uhe closed the game for the save, allowing only an infield single with one strikeout and no walks in the last 1 2/3 innings of the 5-3 win over CDO in the District 5 Little League championship game. He talks about the win, his team and playing for his dad who is the… pic.twitter.com/blOygRATmr
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 25, 2025
“It was amazing, a lot of pressure, everyone was screaming,” Ryan talked about his save to close the game. “It was one of my favorite times pitching.”
Ryan also did not allow a walk and recorded a strikeout in his 1 2/3 innings on the mound.
He became emotional after the last out and when he congratulated his teammates, some of whom he has played with the last three years.
“The buddies on that team, it was nice. It felt good,” Ryan described the moment. “We get along really well. Practices are super fun. Just very good time being with these guys.”
Marana managed to come back after CDO took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Lucas Radtke’s two-run single.
It took advantage of a three-base error and a passed ball to cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
The pivotal four-run rally took place in the bottom of the second inning before Chop’s RBI single in the top of the third cut the lead to 5-3. Chop finished 2 for 2 with a walk, run and RBI.
Marana was held to four hits with Caden Mudd getting a single in addition to the singles produced by Vettorell, Klemann and Knight in the four-run second inning.
