Solanco Little League Minor Division All-Stars win district tournament opener

    Solanco Little League's Minor Division All-Stars entered the week a win away from a District 23 title.
    Solanco put itself in good position by beating Warwick 11-4 Sunday, July 10.
    The tournament hosts are scheduled to play for the championship Tuesday night, July 12, against the winner of the previous night's Warwick-Tulpehocken losers bracket game. The team that emerges from the losers bracket needs to top Solanco twice.

    Three Solanco pitchers worked two innings. Coleson Brown and Nolan Esh each allowed one run and Dylan Roberts finished the game.
    After Warwick scored a run in the top of the first Solanco grabbed the lead for good with two in the home half. Brown walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a Christopher Malloy grounder. Esh walked and stole second. Roberts delivered a two-run double on a fly ball down the left field line.
    Solanco tallied three times in the bottom of the second. Jordan Hall was hit by a pitch and Brown walked. Malloy knocked in a run on an infield hit. Another run scored after a rundown on an Esh grounder and Roberts got an RBI on a comebacker.
    Ahead 5-2, Solanco iced it by erupting for six runs in the fifth. Trey Cox started the rally with a single to left and Liam Foley walked. Aidan Cross produced an RBI single. After two strikeouts, Malloy walked to load the bases. Esh drilled a two-run single off the glove of the shortstop. Roberts singled through the hole to make it 9-2 and Harry O’Connell drove in a pair on a single up the middle.