Diamonds were the talk of the town Monday. Not the ones bought at Jared’s, but the baseball and softball diamonds at McMinnville Civic Center filled with kids as youth baseball and softball started.
The Warren County Youth Baseball and Softball association started its league action Monday night, ending a month-long wait for teams which have been practicing since the last week of March.
Three leagues were in action opening night as the 9-10-year-old girls junior league, 9-10 boys junior league and 11-12 boys senior league held two games apiece.
Savannah Cox threw out the first pitch in the girls junior league as she pitched for TT&G Gas. Ashton Whiles outdueled Cox, pitching five innings and striking out 11 as she led Roger’s Service Group to a 11-5 victory.
Whiles, Kensley Whitaker and Kadie Rains each had RBI hits for Roger’s Service Group.
Hallie Jo Pennington had the lone hit for TT&G as the teams combined for 16 runs on 17 free passes.
In the nightcap, Sonic defeated Ben Lomand Connect 8-6.
MaKenna Mason earned the victory for Sonic, pitching two innings before Marah Wanamaker worked the final three innings.
Shonacye Rutledge had a triple for Sonic, while Taylor Pegg added a two-run double. Mason finished with a single.
Hailey Wood and Brianna Young each had hits for Ben Lomand. Madison Cantrell and Calyn Damon pitched two innings apiece.
In the boys junior league, Foodland Plus won 10-0 over Enterprise and Jim’s Locksmith defeated Netherton Dentistry 7-1.
Dawson Waldron and Jacob Lann combined to shut out Enterprise. Lann capped off the game with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth as the run-rule was enacted.
Lann finished with three hits, while Waldron, Eli Jones and Brady Gross added one hit each for Foodland Plus.
Kason Holder had two hits for Enterprise. Ty Martin, Ryland Holder and Easton Adcock had one hit apiece.
Jack Keele’s bases-loaded triple in the bottom of the fourth inning led Jim’s Locksmith to a six-run win. Keele cleared the bases, putting Jim’s Locksmith up for good.
It was part of a splendid evening for Keele, who threw a no-hitter opening night. Keele got every out by strikeout, sitting down 12 in four innings of work. Keele’s triple was the only hit of the game.
Home runs were the story in boys senior league action. Three balls left the park as Turner’s Auto Salvage won 10-4 over Hall’s Backhoe and State Farm beat Custom Collision 14-3.
Cole Estes homered in Hall’s Backhoe’s loss to Turner’s Auto Salvage. It was part of a 3-for-3 night for Estes.
Grant Hitchcock, Caleb Newby, Timothy Maples, Wesley Rowland and Will Rowland added hits for Hall’s Backhoe.
Two-hit nights from Trayton Rackley, Hunter Adams and Sincere Promphanh led Turner’s to victory. Chase Thompson and Brant Young had one hit each.
Adams pitched all six innings to earn the victory for Turner’s.
Crockett Walker hit a solo shot and finished with two hits as State Farm beat Custom Collision by 11.
Noah Fann led State Farm with three hits. Blane Elkins, Caleb Smith, Mason Vaughn and Willie Fernandez added two hits apiece. Brooks Helton and Austin Higgins had one hit each.
Micha Woodlee hit a solo home run for one of his two hits for Custom Collision. Ben Sweeton and Riley Majors each had one hit.
Helton earned the win for State Farm while Sweeton suffered the loss.