State Schedule/Results
Here are the schedule and results for the double-elimination Ohio Little League 12-year-old baseball tournament at the Fields of Dreams complex, located at 410 McClurg Road in Boardman:
Saturday, July 16
Hamilton West Side 12, Washington Court House 1, four innings
Canfield 12, Tallmadge 1, four innings
Galion 6, Guernsey County 1
New Albany 6, Maumee 2
Sunday, July 17
Hamilton West Side 13, Jefferson 0, four innings
Canfield 10, Minford 1
Tuscarawas County 14, Galion 5
Maumee 4, Guernsey County 1
Monday, July 18
Hamilton West Side 11, Tuscarawas County 0
Washington Court House 4, Minford 3
Canfield 6, New Albany 1
Tuesday, July 19
Hamilton West Side 2, Canfield 0
Tallmadge 4, Jefferson 2
Maumee 17, Washington Court House 9
Wednesday, July 20
Tallmadge 11, Galion 9
Maumee 8, Tuscarawas County 7
Thursday, July 21
New Albany 8, Tallmadge 5
Friday, July 22
Game 18 — New Albany vs. Maumee, field No. 1, 5 p.m.
Saturday, July 23
Losers’ Bracket Final
Game 19 — Game 18 winner vs. Canfield, field No. 1, noon
Sunday, July 24
Championship
Game 20 — Hamilton West Side vs. Game 19 winner, field No. 1, noon
Game 21 (if necessary) — Game 20 winner vs. Game 20 loser, field No. 1, 2 p.m.
Curtus Moak is handling his catching duties just like Hamilton West Side coach Tim Nichting thought he would.
But his bat is a pleasant surprise.
Moak swings from the bottom part of the batting order, yet he leads the locals with a .667 average at the Ohio Little League 12-year-old baseball tournament at Boardman’s Fields of Dreams.
“More important than Curtus’ hitting in my eyes is Curtus’ catching ability,” Nichting said. “Curtus is on this team to catch, and he’s been catching well. Anything he does hitting-wise is just a plus to our team.”
Moak is the only Hamilton player without an extra-base hit in the state event. But he’s 4-for-6 with an RBI and has three singles and a walk in his last four at-bats.
“I’m feeling good, and I’ve been working on my swing. I think it’s paying off,” Moak said. “I think I’m getting better at the plate.”
He knows he’s a defensive guy first on this squad and doesn’t have a problem with that. Moak isn’t a lifelong catcher … he just started playing the position last year.
“I wanted to try it,” Moak said. “I thought I would like it very well, and I really like it.”
He didn’t hesitate when asked to describe himself as a catcher.
“I drop and block a lot,” Moak said. “I like to throw behind guys a lot. That’s the most fun in catching.”
West Side has been in practice mode since defeating Canfield 2-0 in Tuesday’s winners’ bracket final.
Whoever emerges from the losers’ bracket (Canfield, Maumee and New Albany are the remaining teams) will have to beat Hamilton twice Sunday (at noon and 2 p.m.) to claim the title and a Great Lakes Regional berth in Indianapolis.
The Ohio champion will begin regional play against Michigan on Sunday, Aug. 7, at 6 p.m. at the Reuben F. Glick Little League Center.
West Side is hoping to advance to Indy for the ninth time in the last 11 years.
Here is a list of 12-year-old state championships for the final four teams in Boardman:
West Side — 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015
Canfield — 1998, 2000, 2014
Maumee — 1966
New Albany — None
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