A
Red Wings v. Raptors
The Red Wings faced the Raptors on May 9, emerging after four innings with a 15-2 win. Te’a Langlois provided key hits in the third and fourth innings that kept the Red Wings offense alive. Defensively, Joseph Lampman was a stand-out both at first and third base, making three outs and earning the game ball for his efforts. The Raptors’ Ryan Henderson performed especially well at first base, most notably with his unassisted out at the top of the third.
Red Wings v. Rattlers
Led by slugger Harrison Nixon, the Red Wings improved their record to 7-0 after a hard-fought battle with the Rattlers on May 12, winning by a final score of 11-6. The Rattlers jumped to an early 3-0 lead, but shortstop Noah Sedmak’s acrobatic snag of a fly ball in the second inning and Connor Freeman’s unassisted double play in the fourth kept the Rattlers from ever retaking the lead. Freeman was also involved in a crucial play in the third when, with the bases loaded, he fielded a grounder and fired the ball to catcher David Gartner for the force out at the plate.
AA
Sand Gnats v. Sidewinders
On Thursday, May 10, the Sand Gnats and the Sidewinders tied 14-14 at Idylwood Park. Sidewinders’ pitchers Pat Lethbridge, Peter Byman, Tyler Taylor and Teddy Bagapor each turned in strong pitching performances and Jack Rasmussen hit a double and a single. For the Sand Gnats, Jackson Jost hit a triple driving in three runs and caught two balls in the air. Carter May got two hits and threw out a runner at first, and Christopher Comstock got three hits and struck out one.
Lugnuts v. Scrappers
On May 8, the Lugnuts beat the Scrappers 11-4, to clinch first place for the first half-season with a 6-0 record and to earn a seat in the regular season championship game in June.
Scrappers v Sand Gnats
On May 11, the Scrappers defeated the Sand Gnats 15-6 at Jefferson Village Park. Scrappers’ pitcher Zach Lang struck out nine over three innings and got a key hit. Christopher Beddow hit a double, driving in two runs. For the Sand Gnats, Annie Ferguson struck out one, got a hit and threw out a runner at first. Frank Williamson also struck out two.
AAA
Rangers v. Cardinals
In an exciting and well-played AAA game held May 12 at Pyron Field, the Rangers edged the Cardinals 7-6. The Rangers received strong pitching from Ted Terwilliger, Jimmy Major and Barrett Nixon. The key hit was a triple to deep centerfield in the third inning by Evan Tracy that drove in three runs. Jimmy Porter added a clutch RBI single in the fourth and made an outstanding, diving catch of a foul pop near third base, and James Anderson singled and scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the fifth. For the Cards, pitchers Daniel Donovan and Jamie Handley had strong outings, and Zach Welch hit a booming RBI double to the gap in left center.
Dodgers v. Marlins
The Dodgers defeated the Marlins 9-2 on Saturday, May 12 to start the second half of the season with a victory. Jack Manon pitched three and two thirds innings to chart the win. Alex Connole and Tyler Marple pitched in relief to secure the lead, which was built on some excellent hitting by P.J. Kern and Evan Davis, each with three hits and Sean Brown. Thomas Beddow and Nick Armour were stellar on defense.
MAJORS
Cubs v. A’s
On May 7 the Cubs and A’s battled for the second time in a week, with the Cubs winning another last-inning victory 10-9. The A’s struck early with Clint Rock hitting a home run to left center on the first pitch of the game. The A’s offense was led by Rock with three hits on the night, as well as two hits each by Matt Ledder and Alec Daniele. The Cubs’ hitting was bolstered by Mimi Azor, Danny Leonard and Kekoa Yamaguchi, each of whom had two hits. Entering the last half of the sixth down 9-6, the Cubs used a clutch, bases-loaded single to center by Joseph Platero to secure the win.
Yankees v. Red Sox
The Yankees and Red Sox squared off Monday night, May 7 for their second meeting of the season, with the Yankees prevailing 4–1. Starting pitchers John Todd (Yankees) and Frankie Hall (Red Sox) came out firing in the first inning to shut down their opponents but things heated up in the top of the second as the Yankees scored three runs with the help of singles by Liam Glennon and Alex McMillen. In the Sox half of the frame, the Sox used two hit batsmen and a perfectly executed bunt by Dalton Marsh bunt to manufacture a run.
The Red Sox best chance came in the fifth as Richard Marsh hit a line single to center and Frankie Hall rifled a ball off the mitt of pitcher Todd. Liam Glennon then came on in relief to face Jarrett Marsh who hit a liner to deep left. T.D. Kline of the Yankees made a sensational diving catch to rob Marsh of a hit and Glennon retired the next two Sox to get out of the inning.
The Yankees added a run in the sixth as McMillen collected his third hit of the night and eventually scored. Kline and Todd also singled in the inning. Glennon blanked the Sox to end the game.
Orioles v. Mason District Red Sox
The Falls Church Kiwanis Little League Orioles traveled to Mason District Park Saturday to meet the Red Sox of Mason District Little League Saturday in the first game of interleague play between the Majors levels of the neighboring Little Leagues. The Orioles prevailed 4-0 behind the pitching of Mitch MacKeith, who delivered a no-hitter,
allowing only one walk and a runner to reach first on an error while striking out 11.
MacKeith’s no-hitter was preserved by outstanding defensive plays from the Orioles fielders, including second baseman Scott Connuck handling a hot shot off a Red Sox bat in the first inning. Shortstop Vijay Menon stabbed a scorching line drive for an out in the second and ranged behind second base and made the quick throw to first base in the sixth inning to record two stellar plays. Adam Klecheski pulled in a fly ball in right field in the third inning, and at third base in the sixth he made a barehanded grab and throw on a bad hop grounder to record the out at first base.
The Orioles’ offense was lead by MacKeith who had a triple and a double with one RBI and a run scored. Tyler Waters contributed two hits and three RBIs, and Menon scored two runs for the Orioles on a walk and a single. Michael Barnes delivered a single to stretch his hitting streak to eight games. Conor Boyle and Will Philips each had a hit with Philips scoring a run.
Nationals v. Mason District Cubs
In another interleague game, the Nationals broke out of their batting slump and had 15 hits in earning their first victory of the season. The team was led by James Sturges who went 3-for-4, including two doubles, and Dalton Taylor who went 3-for-3. Clutch hitting during the fourth inning by Jesse Jones (2-for-4) and Joey Gorman (2-for-3) was crucial to the win, as seven runs scored, three of them on a bases-loaded triple by Daniel Butler with two outs. Starting pitcher Taylor contributed two strong innings and was relieved by Joey Gorman and Ethan Anderson, each of whom threw two innings without allowing a hit.
Yankees v. Red Sox
On May 12, the Yankees took the rubber match in their spring series against the Red Sox 8-5. In the second inning, Liam Glennon of the Yankees tripled to left center and scored on Hayden Hall’s single to center, who scored himself on a Clay Koch grounder up the middle. Mark Hilliard made it 5-0 when he drilled a shot over the left field fence, the first home run of his Little League career. The Yankees added two more in the top of the third when J.P. De Franco walked and Glennon singled, both coming home on a single by Hayden Hall.
In the bottom of the third, the Red Sox scored on singles by Frankie Hall, Jarrett Marsh and Sam Selby. The Yankees got out of the inning with heads up field work by Clay Koch who initiated a double play. The Yankees added a run in the fourth, as Hayden Hall, Hilliard, and DeFranco all collected hits. The Sox scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning on a couple of walks and singles by both Steve Lethbridge and Lucas Cherry to make it 8-2.
The Sox added three runs in the fifth when singles by Selby and Drew Spera set the table for Richard Marsh, who blasted a three-run shot over the left field fence, his second home run of the season. With the Sox threatening again in the sixth, John Todd closed for the Yankees.
