SANDLOTS Area Little Leaguers set for district play

Almost 50 baseball and softball teams hope to qualify for state tournament berths.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
Fifteen Mahoning Valley 11-12-year-old Little League baseball teams will begin district competition Monday.
In all, 34 baseball teams will compete for state berths in four divisions operated by Little League Ohio District Two, and 15 softball teams in three divisions.
Seven games are scheduled Monday in the 11-12 baseball bracket: Boardman East at Struthers, Austintown North at Brookfield, Austintown South at Canfield, Poland at Campbell, Columbiana at Niles, Lordstown at Boardman West and Warren at Lakeview.
Hubbard received a first-round bye and will begin play Wednesday against the winner of the Boardman East-Struthers game.
Games in the double-elimination tournament will continue through July 21 when the championship game is scheduled. The district winner will advance to the state tournament that begins on July 24 at Hamilton.
Thirteen teams are entered in the 9-10 bracket. That bracket begins play on July 15 with these games: Canfield at Trumbull Metro, Columbiana at Brookfield, Boardman East at Poland, Boardman West at Niles and Struthers at Lakeview.
Three teams -- Campbell, Hubbard and Lordstown -- received byes and will begin play on July 17.
The championship game is set for July 28, with the winner advancing to state competition that begins Aug. 3 in Hamilton.
Three area 13-14 teams will compete for the Junior League district title: Brookfield, Boardman and Canfield.
Brookfield plays at Boardman Tuesday, with the winner playing at Canfield on Thursday. The district winner will advance to state competition in the Akron area.
Those three communities also have entered teams in the age 15-16 Senior Baseball District Tournament that begins Saturday with Canfield playing Brookfield at Boardman's Fields of Dreams. The winner will play Boardman there next Sunday at 4 p.m.
The Senior district winner will represent the area in the state tournament played in the Canton area.
Softball
Seven 11-12-year-old softball teams will be competing for the district crown. Three games are scheduled Monday: Boardman at Lakeview, Poland at Struthers and Brookfield at Canfield (8 p.m.).
Springfield has a first-round bye and will play the Brookfield-Canfield winner on Wednesday.
The 11-12 championship game is set for July 17, with the winner advancing to the state tournament at Englewood (near Dayton) that begins July 20.
Five 9-10-year-old teams have entered the district event that begins on July 16 with Poland at Struthers and Canfield at Lakeview. Boardman has a first-round bye and will play the Poland-Struthers winner on July 18.
The district champion will be crowned on July 25 and advance to the state tournament at Kenton (near Toledo) that begins on Aug. 3.
In the 13-14 Junior League division, Poland, Canfield and Boardman have entered teams. Their schedule will be announced.