Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Kiwanis Holds Off Lions In Little League Baseball Action

Little League action resumed in Prescott, Monday, June 1, with the top teams battling it out.

The Kiwanis and Lions teams met with Chris Hopper on the hill for the Kiwanis crew and Eli Ratcliff his counterpart for the Lions.

The Kiwanis team took an early 4-0 lead, but in the top of the second, Ratcliff ripped an inside-the-park homer, cutting the lead to 4-1.

However, the Kiwis added another four in the bottom of the second to go up 8-1.

Tommy Barlow led the third with a double for the Lions. However, the threat was ended when Antonio McDuffie made a great catch in left to end the inning.

Roger Muldrow walked to start the third for the Kiwanians, with Hopper following suit. R.J. Vanhook drove the two in to push the lead to 10-1.

The Kiwanis team managed to load the bases, but didn't score. Instead, Ratcliff and Barlow combined on a pickoff to end the threat.

In the top of the fourth, the Lions saw Ratcliff walk and score on a fielder's choice.

With two down, Matthew Hodges drove a run in with a single. Joel Hodges followed with an RBI single, as did Zack Martin.

Two walks later and Muldrow shut down the Lions scoring machine. But, the score was standing at 10-7, which ended up being the final tally.

In the rematch at Rosston, Bluff Springs raised its record to 7-3 on the season with a big win over AllCare of Rosston.

The nightcap saw Thomas Sayers hurl a no-hitter for the VFW crew. It was his first of the season, and the team's fourth overall.

Offensively, Jason Butler belted twin triples to lead the VFW team at the plate. The final score of the onslaught was 16-1 for the VFW over Western Auto.

On Thursday, June 4, Rotary demolished AllCare, with the Lions whipping Western Auto 15-11.

Saturday, June 6, Bluff Springs was up 7-5 over Rotary when, in the bottom of the final frame, Cody Brown walked. Miles Turner got a hit and Larry Billings drove Brown in with a single to cut the score to 7-6.

Mitchell Taylor stepped up to the plate and smacked a two-RBI hit to win the game for Rotary, 8-7.

Reco Mixon had two home runs for Bluff Springs.

Kiwanis followed by ripping AllCare and moving their record to 7-4 on the season.

The big game of the week saw the Lions tangle with the VFW team.

The VFW team left two stranded in the top of the first, while the Lions left one on in their half.

VFW managed to score in the second after Sayers was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by R.J. Baker.

But, the Lions took a 2-1 lead when B.J. Daniel walked and scored on Ratcliff's double. Ratcliff then stole third and home.

The top of the third saw Adam Beaver and go to second when Butler walked. Clancey Cleveland cleared the bases with an inside-the-park round tripper. This put the VFW up 4-2.

In the bottom of the frame, the Lions were held in check.

The score changed to 5-2 in the top of the fourth as Baker doubled, scoring on a Zack Niemeyer single.

The situation changed in the bottom of the fourth as the Lions battled back. Josh Glass, Tommy Barlow and Matthew Hodges all scored from a pair of errors by the VFW team to tie the score at 5-5.

Aaron Tosch led off for the VFW in the top of the fifth and final frame with a single. Cleveland added two more RBIs with another inside-the-park home run. Sayers walked and scored on a ground out by Baker.

Baker, on defense, showed his prowess with the leather by making a circus catch at the fence to help save the game and preserve the 8-5 VFW win.

Jason Butler got the win, hurling a two-hitter and fanning 12.

Zack Martin recorded nine K's for the Lions.

The VFW record moved to 9-1 on the season as the teams head into the final week of regular season play.