Milton leaps over Lewes in District 3 8-10 all-star opener
Whether by Route 9 or Route 24, the two Cape Region teams in the District 3 8-10 all-star tournament, Milton and Lewes, went opposite the beach traffic July 2 to battle one another in Laurel. Following their 11-1 victory in four innings, the Milton players and supporters not only enjoyed their ride home a bit more, but also staked their claim to bragging rights, for now.
Milton was first on the board when Owen Croce singled in Jacob Reynolds and Easton Goodwin with two outs in the bottom of the second. Ronan Lotter and Jaxon Kulp walked and joined Croce at home on Dominic Nelson’s single. Hudson Hartstein drove in Nelson with a single and stole second to get into scoring position for Bryce Delacy.
Delacy ripped a line drive into right field, giving Hartstein a chance to score. Graham Knowlton fielded the ball cleanly and got the ball in quickly. As Lewes catcher Finn Kane caught the ball, Hartstein was about 10 feet away from the plate on the third-base line. Instead of giving himself up or trying a slide, Hartstein took to the air to leap over Kane. Reaching up, but in between Hartstein’s lower legs, Kane just missed the tag. Hartstein finished his jump beyond home plate but came back to touch home for the seventh and final run of the second inning.
Croce kicked off another two-out rally in the bottom of the third by singling in Reynolds and advancing Nole Beam to third. Beam crossed the plate on a Kulp single to make it 9-0 Milton heading into the fourth inning.
Lewes’ Cooper Skocypec reached on a single with one out in the fourth inning to breathe a little life into the boys in Columbia blue. Preston Cleary’s single to center scored Skocypec before the boys in grey, white, and blue got out of the inning with a 9-1 lead.
Hartstein led off the bottom of the fourth for Milton with a walk. He scored on Wyatt Dean’s grounder to left field. As Dean stood on first, Krew Johnson, who previously sent a shot right into the glove of Grant Hudson, sought a little redemption.
Wasting no time, Johnson again visited left field but found grass this time. Dean raced around the base paths, set on scoring. As he crossed home and Johnson rounded second, the Milton players and faithful celebrated their 11-1 win over their neighbors.
Milton advanced deeper into the tournament July 3, with a 15-5 win over Woodbridge. They’ll play Nanticoke Saturday, July 6, for a place in the District 3 finals.
Lewes staved off elimination July 3, with an 18-17 win over Laurel. They’ll look to keep it going against Lower Sussex Friday, July 5.
