LITTLE LEAGUE: Ashland 8-10’s drop state opener
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Ashland's #3 Jack Damiter catches a fly ball during their state tournament game against Greensburg West Point on July 22, 2024.
DALLAS, Luzerne County – For the second time this decade, an Ashland Little League team has a shot at the state title.
In 2021, it was the 9-11 squad, winning their first section title in program history and playing in the state tournament in Pittston Township.
This year, about 10 miles away in the Back Mountain of Luzerne County, it’s the 8-10 team that opened state tournament play Monday.
The Section 3 champions were sent off with a parade around midday Monday as they began the hour journey north on Interstate 81.
Ashland opened tournament play against a western Pennsylvania squad: Greensburg West Point, from the Pittsburgh suburbs of Westmoreland County.
First pitch was delayed an hour because of weather.
Greensburg West Point scored three runs early in the top of the first inning before lightning struck and the skies opened up.
After another hour long rain delay and thanks to the efforts of the Back Mountain Little League grounds crew, play resumed and Greensburg West Point added another three runs in the first stanza.
In the bottom of the first, Conner Damiter batted in Jack Damiter to get Ashland on the board followed by a Trevor Staudenmeier RBI.
That would be all Ashland could muster, as Greensburg West Point added another run in the top of the third and several walks with bases loaded put the western Pennsylvania team into mercy rule territory.
The game ended after four innings, 13-2.
Ashland faces tournament host Back Mountain in the loser’s bracket of the tournament Tuesday at 1pm in Dallas.
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