State Schedule/Results
Here are the schedule and results for the double-elimination Ohio Little League 12-year-old baseball tournament at the Fields of Dreams complex, located at 410 McClurg Road in Boardman:
Saturday, July 16
Hamilton West Side 12, Washington Court House 1, four innings
Canfield 12, Tallmadge 1, four innings
Galion 6, Guernsey County 1
New Albany 6, Maumee 2
Sunday, July 17
Hamilton West Side 13, Jefferson 0, four innings
Canfield 10, Minford 1
Tuscarawas County 14, Galion 5
Maumee 4, Guernsey County 1
Monday, July 18
Hamilton West Side 11, Tuscarawas County 0
Washington Court House 4, Minford 3
Canfield 6, New Albany 1
Tuesday, July 19
Hamilton West Side 2, Canfield 0
Tallmadge 4, Jefferson 2
Maumee 17, Washington Court House 9
Wednesday, July 20
Tallmadge 11, Galion 9
Maumee 8, Tuscarawas County 7
Thursday, July 21
New Albany 8, Tallmadge 5
Friday, July 22
Maumee 5, New Albany 3
Saturday, July 23
Losers’ Bracket Final
Game 19 — Maumee vs. Canfield, field No. 1, noon
Sunday, July 24
Championship
Game 20 — Hamilton West Side vs. Game 19 winner, field No. 1, noon
Game 21 (if necessary) — Game 20 winner vs. Game 20 loser, field No. 1, 2 p.m.
Ken Coomer is feeling good and grateful.
The longtime Hamilton West Side coach is an assistant for this year’s team, which is one win away from the Ohio Little League 12-year-old baseball tournament championship at Boardman’s Fields of Dreams.
Last July, Coomer was the head coach when West Side captured the state title in Painesville. And while he was there, he suffered a heart attack.
“It’s been a long road. It opens your eyes a little bit,” Coomer said. “But I’m OK. It’s in the past. My heart’s fine now. I’m just working back at it and getting back to what I love.”
He did return to coach the Hamilton team during its 2015 postseason surge, though he did have some setbacks along the way.
Coomer and Tim Nichting have been coaching together for more than a decade. This year, in what has become a regular all-star rotation, Nichting is the head coach and Coomer is an assistant.
“It’s just a title,” Coomer said. “I think we try to take equal responsibilities for the team no matter who’s manager and who’s coach. It’s just more paperwork for the manager.”
Nichting, noting that he started coaching with his father Ray in 1983, said he’s thankful the head coach’s paperwork load has been lessened by West Side president Traci Hamilton.
Coomer and Nichting have teamed up to win numerous state championships at various age levels.
“This is our 11th or 12th year together,” said Coomer, who’s in his 22nd year of Little League coaching. “I feel it’s a pretty good combo.”
Said Nichting, “Me and Kenny have been good together. The stats speak for themselves.”
The 2016 all-star staff includes Chad Pennington and Curtus Moak. Both pitched for Hamilton High School’s Division I state championship team in 1997 and went on to outstanding collegiate careers.
Their sons are West Side’s top battery: Maddox Pennington on the hill and Curtus Moak behind the plate.
Hamilton has been idle since beating Canfield 2-0 in the winners’ bracket final Tuesday. West Side is waiting to see who will emerge from the losers’ bracket for Sunday’s finals at noon and (if necessary) 2 p.m.
“You can see the confidence in the kids,” Coomer said. “As always, we represent Hamilton. As proven in the past, we fare pretty well. Hopefully we can bring another one home.”
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