Shining and falling All-Stars

Valencia County’s three entries in the major division each won their opening games to highlight the opening weekend of the District 5 Little League All-Star Tournament.

On Saturday at Albuquerque’s Zia Little League fields, Enchantment of Los Lunas led things off with a smashing 17-0 win over Thoreau. Belen Little League’s majors followed with a 13-5 victory over Socorro. And completing the sweep was Yucca of Bosque Farms, which edged Thunderbird, 3-2

Enchantment kept the streak alive with another impressive 11-0 win over East Mountain in a second-round game on Monday. Belen and Yucca were scheduled to play their second-round games against South Valley and Zia, respectively, on Tuesday after News-Bulletin press time.

The double-elimination tournament continues through the month of July. Winners from each division advance to the New Mexico state tournament in August.

In other action around the District 5 tournament:

9-10 Baseball — Belen is hosting one of two brackets of play in the 9-10 division at Vivian Fields. Home cooking didn’t help the local boys on Saturday as South Valley beat them 18-6. But Belen 2 bounced back on Monday and won a thriller, 18-17, over Thunderbird to stay alive in the tournament.

Enchantment 2 won its first game, 7-4, over Atrisco 2. And Yucca handled Westgate 2, 11-3. The winners play at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Vivian — Enchantment against South Valley and Yucca against Mile High.

In action in the other bracket being played at Zia and Mile High, Enchantment 1 helped to open the tournament on Friday by shutting out East Mountain, 10-0. The youngsters from Los Lunas advanced to play Atrisco at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Zia.

Belen 1 was sent to the consolation bracket after a 7-2 loss to Atrisco.

11-year-old Baseball — Belen and Yucca will meet at 5:30 p.m. at Mile High after each team won their opening games. Yucca shut out Thoreau, 7-0, and Belen beat Westgate, 11-6.

Enchantment went to the bottom bracket after losing to South Valley, 4-2.

Junior Baseball — Belen and Enchantment lost first-round games on Saturday at Zia. Belen fell to Westgate, 11-0, and Thunderbird edged Enchant-ment, 5-3.

Yucca was to play its first game Tuesday night against Lobo.

Senior Baseball — Belen has the county’s only entry in the senior division. The boys from Belen suffered a heartbreaking, 10-9 loss to Thunderbird on Saturday at Albuquerque’s Jackson Middle School. The loss set up a meeting with Mile High on Tuesday night.

Softball — Enchantment is carrying the torch for the county in softball, fielding teams in four divisions.

In the major division, Enchantment, made up of the same girls who won the state Tournament of Champions last month as the Los Lunas Pride, continued to make the village proud with an 18-1 route of Mile High at Zia on Saturday. They’ll meet an old nemesis, South Valley, at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Enchantment’s 9-10 division team was on the losing end of an 8-3 result against Westgate on Saturday. The young ladies from Los Lunas are scheduled to play again at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against either Mile High or South Valley.

Enchantment’s senior division team was slated to open the tournament on Tuesday against South Valley. The core of Enchantment’s team is made up of the same girls who won junior and major division state titles the last two years.

Play in the junior softball division is idle until next Monday when Enchantment opens the tournament against Atrisco at 7:45 p.m. at Mile High.

(Local Little League coaches and Team Mom’s are encouraged to submit reports of their team’s results to News-Bulletin Sports Editor T.S. Last at [email protected])