A dramatic saga between two Little League programs that have enjoyed tremendous District 18 tournament success in recent years was on display Tuesday.

Valley West and Anthracite have played several big games in multiple age groups in recent years.

The latest chapter in their rivalry didn’t disappoint.

This time, it was Valley West that prevailed, posting a dramatic 2-1 victory in the winner’s bracket final of the 10-12 year-old tournament.

It took one mighty swing of the bat and extra-innings for Valley West to secure the pulsating victory.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth and down to its final strike against the Coal Barons’ Stephen Hood — one of the premier pitchers in all of District 18 — VW’s Anthony Dogainero delivered as he launched a screamer to near dead-center field to tie the game.

“I didn’t think it was going to go over,” said a surprised but happy Valley West manager Russ Canzler. Canzler is guy who knows a little about hitting too, having once played Major League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Then in the home eighth, Canzler figured he would go for broke.

With two outs and runners at first and second, Canzler put the steal sign on. Richie Rossi broke for third, and when the throw from the catcher went into left field, Rossi kept digging and safely slid into home for the game-winning run.

“The third baseman was back, and Richie is our fastest runner, so I thought ‘why not,’” explained Canzler about the bold move.

For Anthracite, it was another example of how Dame Fortune sometimes has a cruel way of turning her head.

Take for instance the game-tying home run. Hood was dominating as he went through the Valley West lineup the way Union General Ulysses S. Grant went through Richmond, during the Civil War.

“He could be dominating,” said an admiring Canzler of Hood’s performance. “We struggled with his pitching.”

For the second straight game, Hayden Goida went yard for Anthracite, providing his team’s only run. He blasted a one-out home run to dead centerfield in the top of the fourth.

That roundtripper looked as if it would hold up the way Hood was in command. Goida’s home run was only the third hit off Dogainero, who gave way to eventual winner Luke Genaro.

The Coal Barons’ first hit came in the second when Cody Orsulak led off with an infield single, and after Goida flied out, Drew Kokinda hit into a fielder’s choice, but moved to second on a passed ball before Dogainero worked out of trouble with a strikeout.

Dogainero was in a peck of trouble in the third, issuing a two-out walk to Chase Weaver, before Tyler Black lashed a single to right sending Weaver to third. Again Dogainero drew on his off-speed stuff, recording another strikeout.

As much as the pitching was dominating, there were a number of defensive gems, but none was bigger than the play made by Valley West first baseman

Mizenko in the top of the seventh. Kokinda singled with one out, Trey McAndrew kept battling relief pitcher Genaro to work a full count, before hitting a screamer which looked headed for extra-bases down the first baseline. Mizenko made a big league snare of the would-be hit to double-up Kokinda.

“That’s baseball,” said Josh Black the Anthracite manager. “What can you do or say? We have to regroup and come back.”

DRIVER’S SEAT ... The win puts Valley West into an envious position, needing one win to cap a tournament championship. It will host either Tamaqua or Anthracite, who meet in the loser’s bracket final of the double-elimination tournament on Friday. The survivor of that game travels to Drums, where Valley West hosts Sunday’s 6 p.m. start.

WEBGEMS … Hood made several fantastic plays from the mound, including two with his bare hand — one in the third and one in the fourth.

TOSSING IT … Both starting pitchers had to be pulled after reaching the 85-pitch limit. Hood, whose final pitch was the Dogainero home run, was fantastic with 62 strikes, 23 balls. He struck out 12 and walked just one. Dogainero threw 59 strikes and 26 balls.

Anthracite 000 100 00 – 1 4 1

Valley West 000 001 01 – 2 4 0

Hood, Orsulak (7) and Orsulak and Goida (7); Dogainero, Genaro (7) and Aponick. W-Genaro. L-Orsulak.