LITTLE LEAGUE District tournaments get under way Monday

The Ohio Little League District Two baseball and softball tournaments get under way throughout the Mahoning Valley on Monday.
Games this week will feature 11-12-year-old baseball and softball players. The 9-10-year-olds will begin play on July 16-17.
Monday's action begins with the 11-12 baseball bracket that features 15 teams.
In three of the past four years, the District Two champion went on to win state and represent Ohio in the Little League regional tournament in Indianapolis. The 1997 Poland team and 1998 Canfield teams advanced to the regional finale and finished one victory shy of a trip to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Last year's Canfield team also won state.
Monday, 14 of this year's 15 teams will be in action. Boardman West received the only opening-round bye and will play Wednesday against the winner of the Columbiana at Niles game.
Monday's other games feature Lordstown at Trumbull, Hubbard at Brookfield, Poland at Campbell, Struthers at Austintown North, Lakeview at Boardman East and Austintown South at Canfield.
Games will be begin at 6 p.m.
The winner's bracket champion will play the loser's bracket survivor on July 21 and, if necessary, July 22.
The district champion will compete in the state tournament in Eaton from July 25-31.
Softball: In 11-12 softball, six of the seven teams vying for the district title will be in action Tuesday: Boardman at Lakeview, Lowellville at Poland and Springfield at Struthers. The Boardman-Lakeview winner will play Canfield Wednesday.
The winner's bracket champion will play the loser's bracket survivor on July 18 and, if necessary, July 19. The winner will advance to the state tournament at Tallmadge from July 21-28.
District games for the players ages 9-10 will be played from July 16-30.
Fifteen teams are entered in the baseball bracket that begins with seven games on July 16: Columbiana at Poland, Trumbull at Hubbard, Boardman West at Brookfield, Struthers at Lakeview, Canfield at Campbell, Lordstown at Niles and Boardman East at Austintown North.
Austintown South has a first-round bye and will play the Columbiana-Poland winner on July 17.
The district winner will advance to the state tournament at Tallmadge from Aug. 4-11.
Six softball teams will compete for the berth for the state tournament that will be in Boardman from Aug. 4-11.
Two games will open the district tournament on July 17: Boardman at Canfield and Lakeview at Poland. On July 19, he Boardman-Canfield winner will play Struthers and the Lakeview-Poland winner will play Springfield.