Alex Budde crushed a double to left field to drive in teammate Austin Lavin with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Americans a walk-off, 5-4 win over the Peloteros Saturday night to seize the 14u Majors championship of the USSSA Super Ball Bash at Red Mountain Baseball Complex in Mesa.

The Americans started the game with promise, scoring a run on a bizarre double play in the bottom of the first inning.

A one-out, bases-loaded pop-up by Justin Revels dropped in the outfield. The play resulted in one baserunner getting forced out and another baserunner getting tagged out. Budde, who reached on an error to start the inning, managed to score before the final out of the inning was recorded.

The Americans lead was short-lived, as pitcher Blake Devoe stumbled in the second inning, giving up all four Peloteros runs.

After getting a ground out to start the inning, Devoe gave up a double to Justin Vetterl, walked Jayden Eggiman and gave up a single to Mitchell Feldman. With the bases loaded, James Harrington hit a slow roller back to Devoe. His throw to first was late, and the Peloteros scored their first run, tying the game at 1-1.

They scored another run on an RBI groundout to second base by George Valenzuela. Tyler Kerpan and Ryan Maes followed with sharply hit RBI singles to right.

Devoe settled into a groove and did not allow another run for the rest of the game. He was finally pulled in the bottom of the seventh inning for Revels after he issued two straight walks with two outs. Revels came in and got the out the team needed to shut down the Peloteros rally.

Americans assistant coach Craig Sienkiewicz credited Devoe with keeping his team in the game.

“Devoe had a rough second inning, but he settled down after that,” Sienkiewicz said. “His fastball got better and the defense tightened up behind him. He didn’t get the win, but he is the reason we were able to hang around and win this game.”

The Peloteros kept the Americans at bay the third and fourth innings. Pitcher Ryan Maes retired six of the next eight batters he faced, striking out one and walking one in that span.

The Americans began to chip away at the Peloteros lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Chris Witten led off the inning with a single and got to second base on a wild pitch. Witten moved to third on a single by Revels, who then stole second. With runners at second and third, Chase Thompson hit an RBI groundout to first base, scoring Witten. Devoe helped out his own cause and followed with an RBI single to left field, cutting the Peloteros lead to one at 4-3.

The Americans tied the game an inning later when Erik Deleon hit a one-out double and scored on an infield single by Budde.

The Peloteros were shut down in the top of the eighth after Justin LaForce got on base with a two out single to center field and was thrown out trying to steal second base.

The Americans began their half of the eighth inning with a lead-off walk by Lavin. After a wild pitch moved Lavin to second, Budde stepped to the plate and drove a shot through the wind to left for the game winning RBI double.