Little League Action at Lake Park

It was an action-packed stretch of baseball at Lake Park as local teams showcased high-scoring offenses, stellar pitching, and aggressive base running.

Braves Edge Rays in Opening Day Thriller

The Rays fell to the Braves 7-4 in a Saturday "nailbiter" to open the season. The Braves struck early in the second inning after Jett Mcnabb stole home, Micah Dieck walked, and Parker Royce singled, with each play driving in a run. While the Rays managed to tie the game in the third behind a Jace Parliek double and a Jordy Zupon ground out, the Braves surged ahead for good in the fourth. Parker Royce, Preston Wickersheim, and Jimmy Darr all recorded RBI hits in the final frame to seal the win.

Standout Performances:

• Braves Pitching: Jett Mcnabb threw a rare immaculate inning in the fourth, striking out the side on just nine pitches.
• Braves Offense: Parker Royce led the team with two RBIs, going 2-for-3. Parker, Preston Wickersheim, and Auston Clark each tallied two hits.
• Rays Pitching: Jordy Zupon started strong, striking out six over two innings.
• Base Running: The Braves were aggressive, tallying 12 stolen bases, with Jimmy, Preston, Blake, Auston, and Jett all recording multiple steals.

Cardinals Fend Off Rays in Monday Night Battle

On Monday night, the CoVantage Cardinals defeated the Rays 12-7 in a contest defined by early offensive dominance and a late-inning comeback attempt. The Cardinals’ pitching staff—consisting of Brian Schultz, Chase Muraski, Jax Zupon, and Eddie Brandt—held the Rays to just one run through the first three innings.

The Cardinals’ offense was firing on all cylinders from the start. Chase Muraski doubled in the first, while Jax Zupon, Landon Quinlan, Austin Larson, and Jace Marmes all contributed RBI singles in the early innings. The lead was further extended by a two-run ground out from Griffin Foley. After the Rays mounted a massive six-run scoring drive in the top of the fourth, Muraski quelled the momentum by cracking an inside-the-park home run.

Key Game Stats:

• Cardinals Leaders: Chase Muraski led the way with two RBIs, while Eddie Brandt showed great discipline with two walks. The team was perfect in the field, committing zero errors.
• Rays Rally: Jordy Zupon led the Rays' effort, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs. During their six-run fourth inning, the team showed incredible discipline, drawing walks from Rylin Gress, Trevvin Wickorsham, Jace Parliek, and Derek Warren.
• Speed on the Base Paths: The Cardinals were relentless, accumulating 16 stolen bases. Landon Quinlan, Jax Zupon, Jace Marmes, Austin Larson, Eddie Brandt, and Evan Kuehn each stole multiple bases.

Both teams displayed excellent sportsmanship under the lights in front of a packed crowd at Lake Park.