LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL - MAJORS DIVISION - AROUND THE HORN - BR DBACK VS NC ANGELS

The Bear River Major Diamondbacks have been on a roll as they have won 8 consecutive games. They did dropped their first game of the season as they faced the BR Sox ace Cole Winters but the team has not looked back since. This team reminds me of a team from 2012. That team also lost their first game of the season to the BR Giants ace Clay Corripo and they did not lose again. That team was the Bear River Angels managed by Sean Solomon who went 19-1 on the season. Dbacks catcher Ryan Bradford then 10 was on the team but he saw little playing time as the team was filled with gifted 12 year olds including Scotty Sandstadt, Jake Leonard, David Fenton, Jordan Elliot, Ryan Solomon and Anthony Crawford.

The similarities of these two teams are, they are both deep at pitching, they both have one 7th grader and they both hit the long ball. That season Sandstadt led the league in home-runs with 9. This season Bradford has 5 as we near the halfway point. Caleb "Eddie" Edwards plays with heart and skill at short stop as well as pitches just like Solomon. Jake Leonard a southpaw could be compared to Caleb Hurst. The biggest similarity is who anchors second base, in 2012 it was Jordan Elliot and this season it is Porter Elliot. Both are scrappy and they give it everything they have.

While the 2012 Angels met every test but their first the 2014 Dbacks have a ways to go. Tonight they will face the BR Yankees at 7:15. The Yankees struggled early in the season but have started to put it together as of late. The Yankees team is led by Reid Zoldan and Colton Jenkins. But the real test for the Dbacks will be when they play the BR White Sox who gave them their only loss on a Monday then will travel to Nevada City on Thursday where they will play the Angels who hold a record of 11-0-1. The Angels are not as deep at pitching as the Dbacks but they have the bats. Seth DeSena leads the team in homer-runs with 3 and Bennett King and Trevor Neilson who play second and shortstop are never an easy out. 

Mon 6/2	7:15 PM	BR Diamondbacks	BR White Sox	BR Major Field
Thu 6/5	7:00 PM	NC Angels	BR Diamondbacks	NC Major Field
Sat 6/7	4:00 PM	FH A's	BR Diamondbacks	FH Major Field

Rounding out their very difficult week the Dbacks will have to travel to Forrest Hill on Saturday where they will take on a team that pushed them to the bottom of the 6th inning prior to their come from behind victory. This is the week that will test the 2014 Diamondbacks and we will see if they are indeed sinilar to the 2012 BR Angels.

MAJOR DIVISION LITTLE LEAGUE - BRLL, NCLL, SFLL AND GVLL ALL IN THE HUNT

First let's look at each league and their teams individually. Then the top teams collectively of each collectivly as well as when they are scheduled to meet.

Bear River Little League

The Diamondbacks (7-1) have the best overall record in this 3 team league. Their only loss of the season was delivered by the Bear River White Sox (5-2) in their first game on the spring behind a strong pitching performance by Cole Winter. The Dbacks have a lethal combination of 10 returning players who can pitch, field as well as hit the long ball. This team has recorded a No Hitter which was thrown by Ryan Bradford as well as Home runs by Caleb Edwards, Justin Powell, Caleb Hurst, Braden Fowler as well as Bradford.

The BRLL White Sox (who were the BRLL TOC team in 2013) are a young team when compared to the Dbacks. They have one of the best pitchers in the area in Winter who is 11. Winter as well as Anthony Vierra (11 y/o) are both veteran travel ball players along with Colby Lundsford (10 y/o) who can and have hit the long ball as well. This is the team which could give the Dbacks a run for the title.

BRLL's top two teams have a 1-1 record against each other. The Dbacks have not played the NC Angeles (8-0-1) as of yet while the Sox lost to the area's top team in a high scoring affair.

Grass Valley Little League

Grass Valley Little League is led by the Dodgers who carry an overall record of 5-2 according to the League's website while the Giants are 4-3. The Giants have two beast travel ball players in Kai Labarbera and Tucker Ramos. Both of who have knocked the ball out of the park. This League's top spot race may come down to their final meeting on June 4.

Nevada City Little League

The Nevada City Little League Angels are out in front of the NC Red Sox (6-3) by 2.5 games. They also dropped them 7-2 earlier in the season. Recently the Angels tied a game 5-5 to their leagues last place team. It can be difficult to keep a group of kids playing hard when the play teams they know they should beat. This game is one area of concern for this top team over the longer TOC run.

Sierra Foothill Little League

Sierra Foothill is led by the 6-2 Angels. This team has mostly played teams within the SFLL therefore we know they are the standout. They do have a match up on Friday with the Dbacks which will set the measuring stick as we move forward.

In-conclusion. 

The Diamondbacks are one of the top teams but they will be tested on 6/2 vs BR White Sox and then again on 6/5 at 7pm. vs the Nevada City Angels at Pioneer Park in what could work out to be the regular season championship game.

CLASH OF THE JUNIOR DIVISION TITANS - BRLL RED SOX VS AUBURN LL ORIOLES

Tonight at 6:00, District 11 area two juniors division will gain a bit of clarity as Bear River's top team, the Red Sox will put their 5-0 record on the line when they travel to Auburn where they will take on the 9-1 Auburn Orioles.

Click here for the field location.

The Red Sox are a skilled well coached group which has many second year juniors players while the Orioles have just as much firepower. When we look at runs scored. The Sox have posted 12.4 runs per game while the Orioles have tallied 16.6 per game which gives the Orioles an edge in the offensive category. Now taking a look at the defensive side of the games. Bear River has given up 6.4 runs per contest where as Auburn has given up 9.6 per game which results in favor of the Red Sox.

The Orioles have played twice as many games as the Sox this spring and the team they fell to by a score of 23-5, Grass Valley A's still have not lost. The Red Sox on the other hand have not played a team with a

When comparing opponents; The Sox defeated the GV Cardinals 12-11 while the Orioles won 10-0, Orioles dropped the SFLL Indians 19-5 where the Sox won 11-5. The Red Sox are deep in pitching while the Orioles have many big bats. Be sure to come out and support the boys.

The standings as of today; Grass Valley A's (8-0), Bear River Red Sox (5-0), Auburn Orioles (9-1), followed by a host of teams fighting to keep their heads at or above the .500 mark.