Local baseball skills contest a hit
PLYMOUTH – The Plymouth Youth Athletic Association and the Plymouth Lions Club hosted the Aquafina Pitch, Hit & Run youth baseball competition for the first time May 1 and it was a big hit.
The local contest, held at Ozzie Pick Field in Lions Park, is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball. Pitch, Hit & Run. The event drew 27 participants (all boys) and included four age divisions – 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14.
Pitch, Hit & Run is designed to provide youths with an opportunity to compete in a contest that recognizes individual excellence in core baseball and softball skills. Competition included hitting, baserunning and pitching with champions decided in each skill, plus all-around champions (the three skills combined).
“The weather was great, the participation was great. All in all, it was a great day,” local event coordinator Tony Miller.
“I want to recognize and say thank-you to all the people that came down to help from the Plymouth Youth Athletic Association and the Plymouth Lions club,” Miller said.
“This was our first try at hosting a local or regional site for the Pitch Hit & Run contest which is sponsored by Major League Baseball and Aquafina and we had no complaints. It ran smoothly with a better than expected turnout.
“Many of the parents were there cheering on their child and others as they enjoyed the day. We would like to springboard off of this year and perhaps host a local or regional site as well as a sectional site if possible in 2011,” Miller said.
Each division’s all-around champion advances to the sectional May 23 at Wildwood Park in Sheboygan. Sectional winners advance a Team Championship at Miller Park in Milwaukee.
The National Finals conclude the Pitch, Hit & Run competition and will be held July 11-13 in conjunction with MLB’s All-Star game in Anaheim, Calif.
DIVISION CHAMPIONS
Age 7/8 Division
All-around – Mason Hellmer, pitch – Cody Desloch, hit – Hellmer, run – Cole Booth.
9/10 Division
All-around – Gabe Haun, pitch – Haun & Connor Laehn, hit champion – Haun, run – Joseph Steinhardt.
11/12 Division
All-around – Jacob Steinhardt, pitch – Steinhardt & John Novis, hit – Steinhardt, run – Collin Meyer.
13/14 Division
All-around – Steven Blend, pitch – Blend & Clay Henning, hit – __________________ _B_le_n_d_, _ru_n_ _–Henning.
