Pitching leads Yanks to Opening Day win

The Yankees opened up their Majors Division season at Ocean View Little League Saturday with a resounding 10-0 victory over the Angels.

Zachary Gates, Dee Atwood and Jake Bauers combined their pitching efforts to limit the Angels to one hit in six shutout innings. Gates pitched four of those innings and recorded 12 strikeouts.

Offensively, the Yankees meshed eight hits with seven walks to produce their 10 runs. Bauers went four for four with three runs scored, Gates went two for three with three RBI and Jason Baxter and Joseph Rivera had hits.

Yankees third baseman Patrick Poss snagged a hard liner off the bat of Josh Sack in the sixth inning to prevent what would have been an extra base hit.

The Angels also got a key defensive stop from shortstop Dakoda Muta, who took away what looked like a sure Yankee hit on a shot back up the middle. Robert Baker had an infield single in the fourth inning to account for the Angels’ lone hit.

“Pitching will be the strength of our team this year as will be the case for many of the Major teams here at Ocean View,” Yankees Manager Gorden Gates said. “We were fortunate to get some key hits today at opportune times.”

In Minor A Division action

Twins 12, Angels 4

Stuart Morton went three for three with a home run as the Twins won on Opening Day.

Ben Roth and Andrew DeLoach each had two hits, and Gavin Springer, Daniel Amaral, Ben Vaught and Tyler Summerville each had a hit.

Morton threw the first four innings, and Jack Shearer didn’t allow a run in the two innings he pitched. JoJo Amaral made a key stop defensively for the Twins.

At Seaview Little League

Minor A Division

Angels 8, A’s 7

Truman Bazer took a 3-1 pitch to centerfield to drive in two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and lift the Angels past the A’s in the season opener Saturday for both teams.

Bazer’s hit scored C.J. Stovall and Walker Thurston, both of whom drew walks, to wipe out a 7-6 deficit. Bazer, Devon Reese, Adam Hepburn and Max Simon all worked the mound and combined to give up six hits with seven strikeouts.

Also contributing offensively for the Angels were Wyatt Collins and Scott Hetrick. Sam Cooper, Grant Horton, Eric Barnes, Reed Osaki and Noah Belkin led the Angels defense.

At Huntington Valley Little League Minor A Division

Pirates 9, A’s 6

Justin Mazzone capped a Pirates comeback with a solo home run in the top of the sixth to complete the victory over the A’s in another season opener.

The A’s held a 4-1 lead and led for the final time at 6-5 through four innings. In the top of the fifth, the Pirates scored three runs to take an 8-6 lead.