Milton Majors win District 3 Championship
The Milton Major League All-Stars made it four District 3 Championships in a row with an 11-0 win over Lewes/Rehoboth July 15. They will return to the state championship tournament in late July in Milford.
Milton started off quickly, scoring three runs in the first inning as Trey Hitchcock singled and Gage Joseph was intentionally walked. Tyler Jacona then walked. After a strikeout, Nolan Barry singled to score Hitchcock and Mitchell. Jacona later scored on a passed ball.
And that’s all the runs Milton needed, as Jayceon White took over on the mound, sitting down three batters in the bottom of the first. He pitched four innings, scattering five hits for the shutout.
“I feel like I just needed to throw strikes tonight,” White said. “I knew I had great defense behind me, so I didn’t have that much pressure since we got up 11 runs.”
Joseph slammed a single to left with one out in the second, and he was driven home on a single by Jacona.
Barry scored in the third inning, and Milton scored six runs in the fourth inning. Bryce Dominick delivered with a two-run homer. Jacona had another RBI and White helped himself at the plate, slamming a double to drive in Talan Stephens and Jackson Isaacs, who had singled. Hitchcock rounded out the fourth by driving in White with an RBI double.
“I knew I was due, and I needed a hit. I wasn’t expecting that [a home run], but it worked out,” Dominick said. “We always have played well together. When someone needs a hit, they do.”
“Every night we get production from up and down the lineup,” said Milton manager Paris Mitchell. “We got great pitching from Jayceon [White]. We knew we were deep. This is a team that’s built for a long tournament, and that’s what District 3 is, so when we get to the states, we feel we’ve got a nice chance because it can be five games five nights in a row. We feel we’re built for that kind of a tournament. I’m just super proud of the boys.”
The Milton manager also gave props to the community for their support.
“It’s not just about the kids. It’s about all the people who come out and watch these games. It’s about the community, the families that bring their kids out here, the families that just come out to watch who don’t even have kids here. That’s the most enjoyable thing for me. That’s one of the things that makes America great – small-town baseball.”
“There is a lot of talent on my team,” said Lewes/Rehoboth manager Billy Hocker. “I don’t believe we saw the best out of them tonight. We were a little flat. Their coaches and we have coached together at one time or another, and next year, we’ll all be together on the junior league level. Then we get to bring these kids together again. That’s the fun part.”
