By Lonnie Turner

The James Lockemy Justice Rangers shut out the Dillon Family Giants, 3-0, Friday night and the Dillon Meat Market Reds lost to the Hurricanes, 6-3, in the late game to give the first half championship to the Rangers in the Dillon Kiwanis DYB Major League. Both teams had identical won-lost records, but the Reds lost two of three meetings with the Rangers in the first half. Should one of the other three teams win the second half, they will take on the Rangers for the regular season championship in June.

The Pepsi-Cola Blue Jays wrapped up the Minor League first half title with a 12-1 victory over the second place McLeod Health Marlins on Thursday.

The Rangers (6-3), after losing the first two games of the season, lost only one time in the last four decisions while the Reds (6-3) lost their last two games to the Rangers and Hurricanes after compiling a 5-1 record through the third week of the season.

Kobe King, Kolby Watts and closer John Rourke allowed the Giants only three hits through six innings with King getting the win. Watts relieved King after four innings and Rourke was called on to pitch the final inning for the Rangers. Three errors led to two unearned runs in the second inning for the winners and King’s RBI triple scored Tristian Brigman who started the fourth with a single to end the scoring. Cole Carroll also had a single for the Rangers.

Dray Thompson’s three-run homer to climax a four-run first inning was all the runs that the Hurricanes would need to knock the Reds from the championship. The Canes added two more runs in the second on a bases loaded walk and hit batter by starting and losing pitcher, Noah Henderson, who was relieved by Barnes Causey. After Hunter Pittman was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the second and Micah Garcia walked, Malachi Bember doubled to drive them home and in the third Connor Hyatt singled and later scored on a wild pitch to end the scoring. Jackson Hayes picked up his second win of the season, allowing four hits while striking out five, walking one and hitting two batters. Also hitting safely for the winners were Trent McNeill, Jared Darmon and Joseph Desser, all with singles. In addition to the Bember’s double and Hyatt’s single, Causey and Collin Hamilton singled in two times at the plate.

In Thursday’s win for Pepsi over the Marlins in the Minor League, the Blue Jays pounded out 12 base hits including Caleb Boykin’s double and two singles in three trips to the plate. Jon-Michael Davis was also perfect at the plate in two appearances, while Kris Allen had a 2-for-3 performance with the bat. Also getting base hits were Bo-Bo McKinnon (1 for2), Nigel George (1 for 2), Khris Hunt (1 for 3, 1 RBI),Riley Brigman (1 for 3, 1 RBI) and Aaron Sipkin (1 for 3, 2 RBIs). McKinnon allowed three hits for the Marlins including singles by Quentin Hunt, D-Mac Wilson and Trent Johnson.

Jared Darmon threw 3 scoreless innings for the Hurricanes on the way to an 8-3 over the Giants in Thursday’s lone Major League game. Back to back singles by Jackson Hayes and Joseph Desser and a fielder’s choice by Dee Brown led to four runs in the first inning and three more runners crossed the plate in the third when Hayes blasted his second out-of-the-Park home run of the season. He also took over the lead in runs batted in department with four, giving him a total of eight. The Giants rallied for three runs in their last at-bat on singles by Carson Sloan, Mason Bailey, Corbin Wethington and Nick Evans. Scotty Sweat, in his first start on the mound since being hit by a line drive off the bat of Hunter Pittman of the Reds on Friday, April 29, allowed five hits , struck out eight and walked four through five innings. Wethington lead the Giants with two hits and Chandler Matthews joined J.J. Grooms with a base hit apiece. In addition to the 2 for three night at the plate for Hayes, the Hurricanes also had hits by Dray Thompson (Double) and Darmon.

There will be no games scheduled for this week as the Kiwanis Club is working in cooperation with the schools during PASS Testing week.