Burgers may bring the people to the park, but the compelling softball and baseball makes them stay.
McMinnville Civic Center was buzzing Monday as the long wait for youth baseball and softball – and ballpark burgers – ended.
Bryson Elrod from McMinnville Physical Therapy and Southern Standard’s Alec Hobbs got the honor of throwing out the first pitch in their respective leagues as action began in the boys junior and senior leagues, along with games being played in girls T-ball and girls coach-pitch leagues.
Elrod went on to be the winning pitcher for McMinnville Physical Therapy as he pitched three innings in 6-3 victory over Custom Collision in the boys senior league. Elrod and Weston Wilson powered the McMinnville Physical Therapy offense with two singles each in the contest. Jathan Cagle led Custom Collision with two hits.
In other boys senior league action, Gary Steele Karate won a thrilling extra-inning affair with Gateway Tire 4-3.
Jalyn Mart proved to be the winning run when he drew a walk in the top of the seventh and proceeded to steal three bases, including sliding in safely at home for the winning run. Carter Mansfield earned the victory as he pitched four innings for Gary Steele. Braden Bottoms fanned the final two batters for Gateway Tire to end the game.
While Hobbs was the first to step on the mound in the boys junior league, his counterparts Joey Rasori and Jason Brewer pitched Erie Insurance to a 8-6 win over Southern Standard.
Rasori and Brewer combined to strike out 10 in the victory, including Brewer striking out the side in the bottom of the final inning. Rasori added a key two-run double in the fourth inning which helped his team take a commanding 8-3 lead.
Time ran out on Southern Standard as the team rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, only to have time expire before the fifth inning started. C.J. Anthony and Owen Clark each had RBI hits in the final inning for Southern Standard in a non-record game. Hobbs added two hits in the contest.
Brewer, Sawyer Seymour and Jax King each had one hit for Erie Insurance and combined to score all eight of the team’s runs.
In game two at Sam Martin Field, Homeland Bank rallied to beat Prater’s BBQ 7-5. Homeland Bank had six straight singles to start the fifth and scored five runs to take the lead for good. J.J. Jacobs started the rally with a single, which was followed by hits from Jake Jones, Connor Nunley, Will Wrisner, Matthew Key and Quin Goodson.
Layne Roberts and Taylor Hillis added some late drama with RBI singles for Prater’s BBQ, but the comeback attempt wasn’t to be. Collen Lopez and Rance McBride also had hits for Prater’s BBQ in the loss.
In girls coach pitch action, Big Mo’s topped Keepsake Catering 10-7 and First National Bank beat Prater Electric 11-10.
Leagues will resume play Thursday night.