Opening day wash out

Rain, wet grounds wash out first day of District 3 LL Tournament; Pennsville game moved to Monday, Elmer resumes Friday

DISTRICT 3 LL TOURNAMENT
Thursday’s Games
Buena at Pennsville, ppd.
Elmer at East Vineland, susp.
Friday’s Games
Elmer at East Vineland, 5:45 p.m.
North Vineland at Penns Grove, 5:45 p.m.
South Vineland at West Cumberland, 5:45 p.m.
Saturday’s Game
Pennsville at Penns Grove, 5 p.m.

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

Rain and wet conditions won on the opening night of the District 3 Little League Tournament.

Pennsville and Elmer were both scheduled to play their first games of the tournament Thursday, but the elements conspired against it.

Pennsville and Buena never got started. The skies opened about 15 minutes before the scheduled first pitch and left puddles throughout the infield. The coaches had cleaned up the basepaths, but the rain came again.

The game has been rescheduled for Monday at 5:45 p.m. That makes Pennsville’s tournament opener Saturday at Penns Grove.

At least Elmer and East Vineland got a couple innings in before the weather washed them out. They were suspended with one out in the top of the third with East Vineland leading 1-0. The game will resume at that point Friday at 5:45 p.m.

East Vineland scored a run off Elmer starter Grayson Bingham in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit. Their leadoff man reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a grounder to short.

Elmer, meanwhile, had two hits in the game — second-inning singles by Brandon D’Agostino and Roman Allen.

“He was doing great, throwing great,” Elmer manager Bob Baldissero said of his pitcher. “He only had that one baserunner. He was doing great.”

Both pitchers threw more than 20 pitches before the weather hit. It wasn’t immediately known if the suspension would impact their availability for Friday. Baldissero said he would bring Bingham back if the pitcher is eligible to continue.