Fernando Cedeno struck out 9 for the Yankees on their way to a 20-2 opening day victory over the White Sox. He also hit a home run, a single and a double, went 3 for 3, scored 3 and had 2 RBI. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The first game of the 2013 Little League Season was played with a competitive but friendly spirit with not much between the teams through 4 innings. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

White Sox Pitcher, D'Moi Hodge reached his pitch count maximum of 85 in the 4th innings and it was all down hill from there as his team allowed 15 runs in the 5th inning. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

After a delay to the Opening Ceremony, which featured the National Anthem and Territorial Song, words of encouragement from Governor William Boyd McCleary and a March Pass of the competing teams, the League, which is open to players aged between 9 and 12, got underway.

The Yankees and White Sox, with Fernando Cedeno and D’Moi Hodge on the mound respectively, duked it out for the first 4 inning, with the score just 5-2 to the Yankees.

However, with Hodge reaching the 85 pitch limit and being replaced on the mound, the Yankees took full advantage at the top of the 5^th to run out 20-2 winners, finishing things off with a home run from Kadeem Pena.

Apart from being the winning pitcher with 9 strike outs, Cedeno hit a single, a double, a home run and was walked on his way to a 3 for 3 performance, scoring 3 runs and adding 2 RBI. Pena had 1 hit, a home run and 1 RBI from 2 at bats.

In total, the Yankees scored their runs from 5 hits, leaving 2 runners on base and making 3 errors defensively.

The White Sox, for whom Hodge had 8 strike outs, but took the loss, scored their 2 runs from 1 hit and left 7 on base. They made several errors along the way to allow the Yankees to secure the victory.

The scheduled game 2 was postponed due to the late start.

Although it was only the first game of a season involving six clubs (the other 4 being the Reds, The Orioles, the Rockies and the Reds) who will play 10 matches each, the organisers have already seen enough talent to be thinking about picking an All Star team that would travel and even take part in a tournament slated to be held in Bonaire during the Summer of 2013.

The main aim of the Association, apart from re-establishing Baseball, is to see how far they can get towards the Little League World Series Events and given the rich vein that has come off the production line in the past there is no reason to doubt their intentions.

The Old Recreation Ground is also to undergo renovation, not only with the new lights being installed, but also a realignment of the field to accommodate Baseball.

The League continues next Saturday April 6, 2013, at the Roger Allen Hodge Park in Sea Cows Bay starting at 2 P.M.