Headed to State after 10-1 win

over Lakota Thursday

By Chuck Gibson

LOVELAND, OH (June 30, 2023) – The Loveland youth Little League baseball team won the District Championship Thursday evening with a 10-1 win over Lakota.

The game was threatened by a heavy rain sweeping in just after the traditional Little League Baseball coin toss deciding which team would be designated the home team. Loveland LL 13U head coach Scott Carr won the toss and chose to be home team.

“We didn’t think we were going to get the game in,” said Carr. “Those storms that came through came in pretty fast and furious. Lakota just finished their 10-minute infield and the skies opened. We had all the kids take shelter and we waited it out for about 20 minutes.”

After the wait, they got a break in the weather which held for the entire 7-inning game. Even then, the game was not a lock for Loveland early. Despite defeating Lakota handily a couple times earlier in the season, this one stayed close through the Lakota half of the fourth inning.

“Through four innings it was 3-1 (Loveland holding the two-run lead),” Carr said. “It was a really tight baseball game; well played by both team. Our bats came alive in the fourth and fifth inning.”  

Neither side committed an error through those first four innings as Loveland came to bat in the home half of the fourth. Starting catcher Brayden Hube led the way for the offense going 3 for 3 with a double, triple and home run; just a single shy of hitting for the cycle.

“It was incredibly exciting at a key moment,” explained Carr. “Other key hits in the game came for us from Grayson “Wags” Wagner; he had a triple, Brady Smith had a double. Those were really our big bats throughout the game.”

Charlie Rigby was the starting pitcher and completed the first four innings allowing just the one Lakota run while striking out four batters and keeping the game close. He yielded to Brady “Pokey” Krause who Carr described as “the teams vocal leader the kids rally around” who pitched two hitless, scoreless innings striking out three and walking no one in the fifth and sixth before handing the ball off. That final inning went to Cameron “Smiley” Dell – “a Little League legend” according to Carr coming in as the smallest player on the field, but “with the biggest heart”. He used his mix of fastball, slider and even knuckleball to keep Lakota off balance coaxing a bloop pop-up which he caught for the final out of the game. The celebration was on.  

Recapping the offense, the big bats added to the 3-1 lead with 2 runs in the 4th, 2 more in the 5th and the final 3 runs tallied in the 6th inning bringing the final winning score to 10-1. That sealed the District Championship sending Loveland Little 13U All Stars to Ashtabula, Ohio for the State Championship round beginning Saturday, July 8th at 9 a.m. at Cederquist Park.  Carr doesn’t know their opponent yet, but it will be the Youngstown, Ohio District Champion. The Loveland Little 13U boys were given Friday and Saturday off, but will practice every day July 2-6 before traveling to Ashtabula on Friday, July 7th in preparation for their game Saturday morning.

“I love Little League Baseball and everything it stands for,” said Carr. “There’s a lot of elite select travel-baseball available for kids. I have kids on my team that could play for any team in Cincinnati if they wanted to, but they have chosen to stay in Loveland and play with classmates and neighbors with Loveland Little League Baseball. There’s a lot to be said for that.”

They had a great crowd of parents, grandparents and younger teams on hand Thursday night cheering them on. It got the attention of the Lakota coach who sent Loveland Coach Scott Carr an email message Friday morning:  

“What a great game, tip of the cap to you guys. We admire how you run your program, but what was incredibly impressive was the number of young kids at the park cheering for this 13U team. What a testament to your community and the Loveland Youth Baseball program.”

Carr summed it up with the following comment:

“I love that. That’s one of the many things that makes this community so special is how we rally around each other and support each other. It was fun at Home of The Brave seeing that last night.”  

Congratulations and Good Luck

in the Little League State Championship  Loveland Little 13U.

Up Next for Loveland Little 13U All Stars:

•  Friday, June 30 – OFF
• Saturday, July 1 – OFF
• Sunday, July 2 – PRACTICE @ 3:00
• Monday, July 3 – PRACTICE @ 12:00
• Tuesday, July 4 – PRACTICE @ 9:00 am
• Wednesday, July 5 – PRACTICE @ 6:00
• Thursday, July 6 – PRACTICE @ 6:00
• Friday, July 7 – Travel Day. Arrive in Madison, Ohio by 3:00. Team trip to Cederquist Park for stretch and toss on fields. Team dinner @ 6:00.
• Saturday, July 8 – GAME versus District 2 (Youngstown District) @ 9:00 am