SPECIALTY SPORTS ASSN. Matune on world series winner as 13-year-old

The Canfield eighth-grader was an all-tournament pick from his Brownlee's Arsenal team.
CANFIELD -- Matt Matune of Canfield was a member of the 13-year-old Brownlee's Arsenal baseball team that won the United States Specialty Sports Association World Series championship in Canton, Mich., last month.
Matune, a pitcher and first baseman and the only area player on the Akron-based Brownlee's Arsenal team, turned in sharp pitching performances to help his team go undefeated in the USSSA World Series with a 9-0 record.
Brownlee's Arsenal, which won the title with a 3-2 decision over Midland, held opponents to only 12 runs for the nine games.
It marked the first time that a team has gone undefeated in the USSSA World Series.
Made all-tourney team
Matune, who is in the eighth grade at Canfield Middle School where he plays football and basketball, was one of seven Brownlee's Arsenal players to make the World Series All-Tournament team.
During the regular season, Brownlee's Arsenal placed second in the Greater Akron Baseball Federation with a 58-14 record.
Matune said he learned about Brownlee's Arsenal from one of coach Rick Haught's relatives who lives in Canfield.
Then Matune's mother, Marijo, drove him to all the practices and games. Matt's father, Mark Matune, is deceased.
Matt said the best part of his summer baseball experience was "being able to meet all of my new teammates and how much I learned about baseball from my coaches."
He is planning to rejoin some of his teammates next year again in the Akron league on a 14-year-old team.