Alisha Yocum
The Thurmont Little League (TLL) season is winding down, and the playoff and In-House all-star games did not leave us disappointed. Some great youth baseball was played by all our players.
In the Minor League Division, the Minor Eagles, coached by Justus Yocum, faced off against the Minors Red Sox, led by Jacob Fisher. The game was a nail-biter, with the Eagles taking an early lead. The score remained tight until the fourth inning, when the Red Sox capitalized on walks to score what would become the winning run.
In the Majors Division, the Cougars, coached by Daryl Dextradeur, clinched first place, securing a spot in the Tournament of Champions, which featured teams from District 2 Little League and was hosted by TLL. The Nationals, coached by Jeff Kuhn, earned second place in the division, qualifying for the Dave Fogle Tournament. This tournament included all second-place teams in District 2, offering a chance to compete for a place in the Tournament of Champions bracket. The Nationals emerged victorious in the Dave Fogle Tournament.
Fate had both Thurmont teams facing each other in Game 1 of the Tournament of Champions. Fans were on the edge of their seats, as the lead changed several times. Ultimately, the Nationals triumphed over the Cougars, advancing to beat Montgomery County Little League before facing Brunswick Little League (BLL) in the Championship Game. Despite a strong effort, TLL fell to BLL, who claimed the banner with a 4-2 victory.
For our younger teams, In-House All-Star selections were made from Tee Ball, Coach Pitch, and Minors. Congratulations to the following players for their outstanding performance throughout the season:
Tee Ball: Clayton Orndorff, Everett Oxenford, Jaxton Hanson, Chance Grimes, Logan Staley, Salvatore Guido, Bodhy Eiker, Abel Creswell, Ford Creswell, Cannon Crummitt, Justin Droneburg, Garrett Linkins, Ryder Murray, Hudson Nash, Scarlett Kessler, Brenton Tull, Jason Green, Carter Rodas, Connor Wolfe, Marlaynna Inocencio, and Owen Koontz.
Coach Pitch: Jet Derr, Grayson Hoffman, Caleb Valentine, Mayson Grimes, Noah Beard, Emmett Kline, Carson Kint, Gabe Shankle, Adalyn Lovejoy, Quinn McMahan, Maddux Ketterman, Caleb Lynn, Harvey Schildt, Ethan Marsh, Garrett Souder, Wyatt Murray, Braden Wolfe, Samara Dixon, Lincoln Tankersley, Michael McGinnis, and Graham Pearl.
Minors: Knox Axline, Brayden Constable, Bryce Yocum, Aiden Koontz, Brantley Nuse, Jackson Kirkpatrick, Devin Riffle, Jace Fisher, Liam Ecker, Wyatt Breeden, Jackson Boyer, Logan Otto, Tripp Emert, Caleb Roberts, Joshua Tingler, Blake Duvall, Wade Wolf, Logan Tankersley, Beaux Grimes, and Parker Ketterman.
For the first time, TLL also held an exhibition game for all the 12 year olds who had played their last year of Little League baseball. In the relaxed atmosphere, players could be seen smiling and chatting it up with their friends throughout the game, many of whom have been playing together since they were four years old. Each player received a t-shirt with the number 24 on the back to commemorate their last year with Thurmont Little League. We wish the best of luck to all of these players as they move onto the next stages of their baseball careers.
Congratulations to all on a great season!
The district all-star games for our 8-12 year olds will begin at the end of June. Follow the TLL Facebook page for updates.
The Thurmont Little League Red Sox won a close game to win the Minors League Championship.
The Thurmont Little League Nationals had an exciting post-season, making their way into the championship game of the Tournament of the Champions.
The Thurmont Little League held an exhibition game to recognize all the 12-year-old players who played their last season with the league.
The Thurmont Little League Tee Ball In-House All-Star Team.