Boardman and Austintown 12-year-olds to meet tonight

Staff report

BOARDMAN

Mother Nature willing, the Mahoning Valley could have its Little League Baseball district winner crowned tonight to join 11-12 softball champion Poland.

Wednesday’s stormy weather postponed most of the action on area diamonds, including the Little League baseball and softball tournaments at the Fields of Dreams.

Tonight at 8, undefeated Boardman will take on one-loss Austintown in the 12-year-old baseball championship round.

Austintown needs to win twice to claim the district title. If Austintown triumphs tonight, both teams will play on Friday at 8 p.m.

The winner will represent Little League District 2 at the state tournament that will be played from July 20-26 in Ashtabula.

Boardman remained in the winner’s bracket with victories over Canfield (23-9), Howland (16-0) and Austintown (13-0). Austintown has two wins over Poland and one over Springfield.

Two other Little League Baseball tournaments are under way. In the 10-11 category, Canfield is the survivor in the winner’s bracket and is scheduled to play Boardman today at 6 p.m.

The winner of that round will participate in the state tournament in North Canton from July 24-Aug. 1.

Three teams remain alive in the 9-10 bracket. Canfield is the winner’s bracket champion and is awaiting the winner of today’s game between Austintown and Boardman LL.

In softball, Poland defeated Canfield twice on Tuesday to win the and 11-12 district crown. Canfield was 3-0 and the survivor of the winner’s bracket. Poland had three loser’s bracket victories before advancing to the championship round.

Poland will play in the state tournament in Englewood beginning today and running through Tuesday.

The seven-team 9-10 category opened on Monday with Poland, Columbiana and Boardman winning while Canfield advanced with a forfeit. Their state tournament will be played from July 27-Aug. 3 in Clyde.

The three-team Junior League (ages 13-14) will open today with Canfield playing Boardman. That state tournament will be at the Fields of Dreams from July 20-Aug. 2.