The Montoursville slugger cracked a smile as she signed it.

Throughout the sea of fans, one could see numerous “Lyle’s Bomb Squad” pink T-shirts being worn in support of Montgomery’s Lyle Huggler.

The two local Little Leaguers may not have been playing at the Little League World Series, but Thursday’s Little League Home Run Derby definitely made them feel like superstars.

“It’s cool to think that we could have been here, but hiting here was amazing. It was great,” Huggler said, who played for Tri-Town this summer which reached the Pennsylvania state tournament.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lyle Huggler, Jr. of Montgomery Little League waves to the crowd during the Home Run Derby at Volunteer Stadium Thursday.

“It feels good actually (competing in the Home Run Derby). It does a lot,” Belle said. “Since it’s in my hometown, everyone was here to cheer for me.”

Without question the loudest cheers on Thursday at Volunteer Stadium for the introductions of the Little League Home Run Derby contestants came when both Belle and Huggler’s names were announced over the PA speakers.

And then when they were called to come to the plate, those cheers erupted yet again.

“It felt good,” Belle said as she laughed. “Also it was nerve-wrecking because everyone here is watching you and if you mess up, it’s like ‘oh my gosh.'”

Neither competitor messed up, and both hit some home runs. Quite a few dingers, in fact.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Trinit Belle of Montoursville Softball Little League connects with the ball during the T Mobile Little League Home Run Derby at Volunteer Stadium Thursday.

Eight contestants competed in the Little League Home Run Derby for both baseball and softball, with the top four advancing based on home runs hit to the semifinals.

Huggler hit 11 home runs, numerous of which easily cleared the regulation fence at Volunteer Stadium to numerous eager fans trying to grab a home run ball. His 11 homers tied with Nevada’s Jacob Justine, Michigan’s Gunnar Maney and New York’s Charlie LeBlanc.

The four all went into a tiebreaker where they each received three pitches to hit home runs to see who advanced. Huggler crushed all three pitches he saw for deep shots over the fence and again tied, this time with Maney.

In the second round of tiebreaker between Maney and Huggler, Maney edged the hometown slugger, 3-2, to advance.

The winner of the baseball competition was Landon Bono of Lake Mary, Florida, who’s competing in the Little League World Series. He hit 13 in the first round, 11 in the semifinals and an impressive 20 in the finals.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lyle Huggler, Jr. of Montgomery Little League connects for a home run during the T-Moble Little League Home Run Derby at Volunteer Stadium Thursday.

“It’s really cool because there was a Big Leaguer here in Hunter Pence. The kids are great, fun to talk to,” Huggler said. “They were fun to play against. The competition was fun and great. It was just a fun experience.”

On the softball side, Belle ended the first round with 10 home runs as she was the second competitor to hit. While Belle didn’t advance, she still was glad to be one of just eight girls to get the chance to compete.

The softball tournament was won by Arizona’s Sophia Silverstein, who crushed a total of 60 home runs through three rounds, 25 of which came in the final.

“I wasn’t even upset that I lost, I still made it here. It just feels good,” Belle said. “Everyone there was awesome. I knew it was going to be even hard to make it (this far).”

The Little League Home Run Derby is sponsored by T-Mobile and T-Mobile donates $100 for every home run that was hit. A total of 391 home runs were hit between the baseball and softball fields for $39,100 donated and added to the T-Mobile Little League Call Up Grant to support families in need for 2025.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Trinity Belle of Montoursville Softball Little League takes her turn during the T-Moble Little League Home Run Derby at Volunteer Stadium Thursday.

Both Huggler and Belle were glad they got to meet former standouts in their respective sports. The baseball team was led by former MLB star Hunter Pence while softball great Jessica Mendoza led the softball team.

Belle noted that it was great to see Mendoza and talk to her and get her autograph on a softball.

And for Huggler, hearing a Big Leaguer tell stories was cool as well.

“He told us some stories from when he played and how he dealt with some adversity and how he dealt with being nervous,” It was cool to hear because he played in the MLB for 14 years.”

This marked the first time that the Little League Home Run Derby featured two local players, something that both Huggler and Belle thought was cool.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Landon Bono of Lake Mary Little League poses with his trophy with former MLB outfielder Hunter Pence after winning the baseball portion of the T-Mobile Little League Home Run Derby at Volunteer Stadium Thursday.

And so did the fans.

“It was fun to have my whole journey with Lyle here,” Belle said. “It was awesome.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Fans battle for a home run ball over the center field fience during the T-Moble Little League Home Run Derby at Volunteer Stadium Thursday.