Albany teams close district run, prepare for All-Stars

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany Little League teams closed out district tournament play last week and now look ahead to All-Star season, which begins this week with practices and pool play.

In the Minor division of the district tourney, the Albany Indians – led by coach Steven Sutton – made a strong push to the championship game after defeating Jim Ned 16-11 last Tuesday in Albany. The Indians’ final game was delayed due to lightning on Thursday, and the team ultimately fell to Snyder 7-6 on Friday in a tightly contested championship matchup Friday night at Wylie.

Notable performances included Beckett Pipes, who pitched a complete six-inning game with only 62 pitches. Joshua Knight contributed 2 RBIs, and Brock Bellah had a key hit down the first base line that drove in two runs. Caiden Barrera and Case Atmar were recognized for their dedication as standby pool players throughout the series.

In the Major division, Albany’s Reds – coached by Joe Tidwell – won their Tuesday night game over Snyder 4-2 but were eliminated Wednesday by Jim Ned, 11-1.

All-Stars Announced

All-Star rosters have now been released for both the 8–10 year-old and Little League divisions.

The 8–10 year-old division includes Caiden Barrera, Zarren Dockins, Aug Early, Oxton Hawkins, Joshua Knight, Dylan Lively, Samuel Martinez, Austin Peacock, Beckett Pipes, Kurt Strauss, Samuel Sutton, and Jackson Waddell.

The Little League division roster features Ryder Anderson, Kingston Balliew, Wyatt Brown, Layton Cehand, Howdy Hefner, Tanner Howe, Hudson Pipes, Azrael Rosales, Jason Shack, Eli Sutton, Tanner Swert, and Grayson Tidwell.

All-Star practice began Monday. Pool play starts June 6 at Wylie, with the Minor team scheduled to play at 6 p.m. and the Major team at 8 p.m. Albany will then host Breckenridge on Tuesday, June 10, with games again set for 6 p.m. for the minors and 8 p.m. for majors. Bracket play will begin June 13.