TB White

Austin Parrish started the game against the Red Sox with a blast over the left centerfield fence. Chandler Price smacked one over in the fourth inning and brought home 3 RBI.  Great hits Austin and Chandler!

The Reds hit four homeruns in the game against the NMI Yankees on Monday night:  Sam Crocker (2); Devin Mead; Tommy Williams.  Way to hit 'em Reds!

Max Erdman hit a home run during a game against the Cardinals. Great job Max!

Click the title to read the article on the Florida Today site
By JEFF GARDENOUR
For Florida Today

MERRITT ISLAND -- The saying that “absence makes the heart grow fonder” applies to more than just romance. Members of the Merritt Island Lassie Fast-pitch Softball League can testify to that.
 Founded by Weber and Myrtle Tisdale, whose daughter, Barbara, missed playing ball in the small town they moved here from, the Lassie League held a successful Opening Day last weekend. The event opened with a field dedication to the late Bill “Strick” Strickland, whose dedication to the sport was boundless, and a tribute to past presidents Joe Demes, Randy Harris and Rick Putnam; coaches Jack Hoffman, George Leighty, Howard Sloan and Bill Byrd; and volunteers like Dot Leighty, who made the first uniforms, among others.
 Also on hand were Hector Lopez, Brevard County Parks and Recreation Superintendent; Janice Rouse, Brevard County Parks Supervisor II; Kim Tokumoto, Athletics and Aquatics Coordinator; Aaron Wilder and Ernie Damos, Parks and maintenance staff; Eileen Brake, League Vice President; and Anna Oyer, Treasurer.
 “Bill died in 2001 and over 300 people attended his funeral,” Lassie League president Gina LaSpina said, “not just people that had known him in his later years, but many people that had not seen him for over 20 years. They came because they wanted to show respect for a man that had given so much of himself and helped shape the lives of so many girls through the years.”
 “Our Opening Day was a great Success,” LaSpina said. “The turnout was amazing and many players showed up for this dedication.”
 The league also had food, music, cotton candy, Sno-Balls from Sno-Hut, equipment sales from Island Sports Shack, face painting, a bounce house and slide, team photos, raffle and prizes donated by local area businesses, and team games.
 “I got involved with my two daughters Alicia and Talia, because I loved softball and had so many great memories as a player when I first started with the Tisdales and with “Strick,”” LaSpina said. “I was on the Board in 2000 and then became the president of Lassie League in 2005 and I am very proud to be a part of this organization and its continued growth since late 2006 when I changed it from slow-pitch softball to fast-pitch to help the girls have more opportunity for the high school level of play and possible college scholarships.”
 LaSpina also praised the many improvements done by Brevard County, including a new scoreboard and modification to the batting cage.

In the Merritt Island Little League, the Merritt Island Orioles beat the Space Coast Cardinals, 11-0, in five innings in Minors baseball. Victor Hadley, Quentin Ashley and Jared Delbene combined to pitch a one-hit shutout, striking out 11. Kody Johnson had a triple, home run, two runs scored and six runs batted in for the winners, and Hadley had two hits and two runs scored.
 Also, the Orioles beat the Merritt Island Tigers, 10-0, in four innings. Johnson pitched a complete-game, three-hitter, striking out nine, to get the win. Hadley, Nate Silvea, Johnson, Quentin Ashley, Jared DelBene and Wyatt Ashley each got a hit for the winners.
 Nick Avdellas, Joe Johnson and Chris Walker pitched for the Tigers. Steven Williams ripped a single and a double, and Johnson, a single, for the Tigers.
 The Tigers then beat the North Merritt Island Braves, 11-5. Williams, Joe Johnson and Avdellas pitched, with Williams striking out four; Johnson, five; and Avdellas, three. Avdellas also had two triples; Williams, triple and one RBI; and Joe Johnson, two singles.
 The Braves were led by the pitching of Matt Taylor, Jeremy Milon and Noah Metzger; and the hitting of Taylor and Connor Wong, who each had a single.
 The Merritt Island Red Sox beat the North Merritt Island Yankees, 4-3. The game was tied 3-3 after four innings before the Red Sox scored the game-winner in the fifth.
 Tyler Dixon, Matt Beardall, and Max and Willie Erdman each had two hits, and Davey Brindamour had two RBIs for the winners. Brindamour and the Erdmans also pitched well.
 The Merritt Island Reds defeated the North Merritt Island Mustangs, 11-1. The game was tied 1-1 through three innings before the Reds erupted for nine runs in the fourth, getting home runs from Sam Crocker and Devin Mead.
 The Reds’ Garrett Moatts had a double, and Tommy Williams had an RBI-double. Mead, Moatts and Peter DeMorat pitched for the winners.
 The Merritt Island Cardinals edged the Merritt Island White Sox, 8-6. The Cards’ Nick Hooks had a double, home run and two RBIs; Carter Kunz, double, triple and two innings pitched; Matthew Maestre, two singles and one inning pitched; Ryan Vetsch, six strikeouts; and Thomas Howes, two-run single and triple.
 The White Sox’s Austin Parrish slammed a home run, Ryan Lang ripped a double and scored on an error in the sixth inning and Price had two singles and pitched.
 In the Space Coast Little League, the Merritt Island White Sox beat the Space Coast Angels, 6-1, at the Cocoa Beach ball field. The White Sox scored four runs in the sixth inning to break things open.
 Price, Lang and Parrish combined on a no-hitter for the White Sox. Price and Lang each struck out six, and Parrish struck out four.
 At the plate, Price hit a single and home run over the centerfield fence, Anton Steinmetz hit a double, and Parrish, Tucker Bennett and Lang had singles for the winners.
 Chris Kontos started for the Angels, striking out four. Christian DelValle came on in relief and struck out nine, including the side in the fifth inning, and scored his team’s lone run on a wild pitch.
 The Angels then fell to the North Merritt Island Yankees, 5-2. Chick Winn pitched two shutout innings before the Yankees scored two runs in the third. Kontos then crushed a home run in the fourth inning to tie things. The Yankees then broke things open in the fifth inning with three runs.
 The Angels made a last-gasp rally in the sixth on a hard-hit single by DelValle, but then grounded out to end the game.
 The Angels then fell to the Merritt Island Red Sox, 9-7, in a wild back-and-forth game. Space Coast led 1-0 early before falling behind 5-4 after five innings. The Angels then scored three runs to take a 7-5 lead. But, the Red Sox rallied with a game-winning home run.

In the Merritt Island Senior Little League, the Merritt Island Junior Pirates beat the Merritt Island Junior Yankees, 14-13, in nine innings. The teams were tied at 8-8 after seven innings, and 11-11 after eight innings.
 Alex Robertson, Jean-Luc Steinmetz, Jake Armstrong and Dylon Lyons all pitched for the winners. At the plate, the Pirates’ Greg Debolt had three singles and a double; Jake Armstrong, single and a double; Travis Pemberton,  double; Robertson, three singles; Robby Waller, two singles; and Steinmetz, Austin Stanton and Jimmy Dixon, one hit each.
 Stanton, Robertson and Debolt all had hits in the ninth inning. The Yankees countered with two runs on hits by Gavin LaCourse and John Batch, but, it wasn’t enough.
 LaCourse, Mickey DeMorat, Dylon Dam and Nick Smith all pitched for the Yankees. At the plate, Johnny Garcia had a single, triple and two RBIs; Joey Batch, four singles; Smith, three singles; and LaCourse, DeMorat and Nick Zeak, hits.
 Also, the Merritt Island Junior Shuttles Dugout Spaceballs opened the season with a 17-5 victory against Merritt Island Junior Dogs R Us Mustangs. Chris Golt, Nick Sotherlund and Matthew Hamelers all pitched well for the winners.

In the North Merritt Island Little League, Chris Mathias pitched five shutout innings to lead the North Merritt Island Red Sox past the North Merritt Island Mustangs, 4-0, in Majors baseball.
 Also, Nick Johnson, Anthony Minute and Derek Dehart combined to pitch the North Merritt Island Yankees past the Space Coast Angels, 5-2. Johnson turned a game-ending double play.
 Also, the North Merritt Island Red Sox beat the Merritt Island Cardinals, 23-4. The Cards’ Hooks had a home run and two RBIs; Maestre, three singles; Thomas Howes, single and a double; Vetsch, triple and two RBIs; and Ryan Marasco and Sky Hartman, single each.
 In Minor baseball, the North Merritt Island Phillies beat the Port St. John Ironbirds, 12-7. Jake Barrett and Chase Victor pitched for the Phillies, with Barrett getting the win. Chris Doane, Connor Giles and Chris Sewell all pitched for the Ironbirds.

In the Port St. John Little League, Cameron Rambo went 4-for-4 with a triple, three home runs and four runs scored to lead the Rockies past the Mets, 16-5, in five innings in Juniors baseball. Ryan Porter went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and picked up the win. Also for the Rockies, Austin Gemes went 3-for-4 with a double; T.J. Beasley, 2-for-4; and Matt Porter, 2-for-3. Zach Treat also pitched for the Rockies.
 Brenton Harrington and Caleb Allen pitched for the Mets. Allen also went 2-for-3.
 The Rockies edged the Cubs, 16-15. Mike Pitts went 4-for-5 with  a double, two runs scored and four RBIs; Austin Gemes, double; Rambo, 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs; Treat, 2-for-3; and Matt Porter, 2-for-4; for the Rockies. Treat, Pitts, Austin Sweetman and Ryan Porter pitched for the winners.
 For the Cubs, Nick Rittenhouse went 3-for-5 a double, triple, two runs scored and three RBIs; John Cain, 2-for-5 with a double; and Aaron Giles and Matt Greene, 2-for-5 each. Greene, Kyle Goddard, Cain and Giles pitched.
 The Cubs beat the Yankees, 8-6, in eight innings. Goddard, Cain and Giles pitched, with Giles getting the win. Giles also hit a double, Brandon Buchanan scored on a pickoff play at first, and Greene had two singles and two stolen bases. Aaron Volmer, Kyle Kegley and Cole Paulson pitched for the Yankees.
 In Minor baseball, Sewell smashed a three-run home run to lift the Ironbirds past the Port St. John Bulls, 11-10. Sewell and Bradley Cantrell pitched, with Sewell getting the win. Trevor Young, Sage Perez and Andrew Sherer all pitched for the Bulls.
 Also, the Port St. John Muckdogs beat the North Merritt Island Dodgers, while the Port St. John Lugnuts defeated the North Merritt Island Red Sox and Muckdogs. Zach Potts pitched the Port St. John Braves past the Port St. John Nationals.

In the Cocoa Little League, Kyle Hurst hit an inside-the-park home run to help the Cocoa Dodgers tie the Rockledge Marlins, 9-9, in Minor baseball. Jared Dufresne had an inside-the-park home run, Jason Talbot had a double and two triples, and Tivis Bell had a double and two RBI to lead the Cocoa Dodgers past the Rockledge Jays, 16-8. Also, the Cocoa Reds beat the Rockledge Jays, 14-9, and lost to the Rockledge Rays, 14-9.
 In Majors baseball, the Cocoa Cubs beat the Rockledge Yankees, 5-3, as Logan Denning had a walk-off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Also, the Cocoa Marlins lost to the Rockledge Braves, 8-0.
 In Majors softball, the Cocoa Gators tied Rockledge, 13-13, in the first Cocoa Little League Softball game in many years. Also, the Cocoa Gators nipped the Port St. John Bandits, 22-21. Kimberly Davis picked up the win.
 In the Mims Little League, the Marlins defeated the Yankees, 28-20; lost to the Cardinals, 9-6; and swept the Pirates, in Minor 1 baseball. Also, the Yankees beat the Cardinals, 14-13.
 In Majors baseball, the Red Sox swept the Rays; and beat the Tigers, 1-0, and Braves, 24-2; Tigers beat the Braves, 28-12, and lost to the Rays, 9-4; and Rays shut out the Braves, 10-0.
 In Majors softball, the Wolverines swept the Knights, and defeated the Bandits, 15-0; and the Bulldogs beat the Bandits, 14-1, and the Heat, 13-3.

In the Rockledge Little League, Rockledge’s Majors softball team lost to the Mims Wolverines, 15-1. In Senior softball, the Rockledge 2 team split a pair of games with the Mims Panthers.
 In this week’s Majors baseball play, the Rockledge Brand Transfer Braves take on Cocoa No. 2 on March 18 at Cocoa’s Stradley Park; and the Rockledge Kiwanis Yankees play the Rockledge K&M Rockies on March 20, and the Rockledge D&D Paint and Body A’s battle the Brand Transfer Braves on March 21 -- both at Rockledge’s Simmons Field.

In the Indian River City Little League, the IRC Diamond Dawgs got a one-hitter from Zach Sweat in a 10-0 Juniors baseball victory against the IRC Storm. Mason Townsend had the Storm’s lone hit.
 In Majors baseball, Matt Mudrack threw 85 pitches to lift the IRC Red Sox past the IRC Dodgers, 7-6. Mason Studstill ripped a stand-up double for the Dodgers.
 In the Minors division, Michael Gribbons pitched the IRC Dodgers past the IRC Braves, 9-5. Bobby Guthrie Jr. pitched for the Braves.