Youth baseball/softball well in the swing of things

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

With the Copperas Cove Parks and Recreation Youth baseball and softball leagues nearing their midway point, teams are beginning to separate themselves from the packs while other divisions have a logjam at the top.
In baseball, the 8-and-under East division has a pair of frontrunners with the undefeated Storm Chasers (4-0) leading the pack and Knights (3-1) laying chase.
The 8U West, however, has all five teams locked in a battle. The Express (2-1) and Threshers (2-1) lead the way with the Mudcats (2-2), Owlz (2-2) and Hot Rods (1-3) hot on the trail.
The 8U teams get back to action tonight at Copperas Cove City Park’s fields 1 and 2 starting at 5:45 p.m.
The Astros (3-0) lead the 10U East division with the Rangers (2-1), White Sox (1-1), Cardinals (1-2) and Athletics rounding out the league.
One game separates the 10U West division with the Giants (2-1) and Rays (2-1) atop the division with the Red Sox (1-1), Royals (1-2) and Diamondbacks (1-2) following.
The 10U division gets back to action tomorrow night, also on fields 1 and 2, beginning at 5:45. 
The Red Sox (3-0) lead the 12U East with the White Sox (2-1), Astros (1-2) and Fort Hood Rangers (0-3) rounding out the league.
The undefeated Rangers top the 12U West division at 3-0 with the Reds (2-1), Giants (1-2) and Diamondbacks (0-3) trailing.
The 12U teams also get back to action with the East teams tomorrow night with 5:45 and West division on Thursday. All games to be on field 6.
The Copperas Cove Rangers (5-0-1) lead the 14U division, 1 ½ games in front of Hillside Medical Lodge (4-2). Big Boy Construction (2-1-1), Gatesville Family Dental (1-2-2), Copperas Cove Orioles (1-4) and Jonesboro Wayne’s Mini Storage (0-4) close out the division.
The 14U boys get back to action on Thursday at Arnold Field in Gatesville. Games start at 6 p.m.
In softball, the Aces are an undefeated 3-0 to lead the 8U Machine Pitch division with the Angels (2-1-1), Blazers (1-0-2), Badgers (1-2-1) and Bandits (0-4) following behind.
The 8U teams get back underway tonight at 5:45 at City Park’s field 3.
The Sluggers (3-0) and Fury (2-0) are both undefeated atop the 10U Fast Pitch standings with the Outlaws (1-2), Rampage (1-2) and Diamonds (0-3) closing out the division.
The 10U teams get back on the diamond at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday on field 3.
In the 12U division, the GFC Heat and Copperas Cove Dynamite are tied atop the standings at 4-0. The Cove Diablos (3-2), Hillside Medical Lodge (2-3), Jonesboro Dixon Roofing (0-4) and Stanley Chevrolet (0-4) close out the standings.
The 12U division plays tonight starting at 6 p.m. on field 5
Finally, Triple SSS Contracting improved their record to 6-0 to top the 15U standings. Phat Bat Batting Cages (4-2), Jonesboro Black Acre Title Co. (1-5) and Cove Sluggers (1-5) close out the standings. 
The 15U also sees action tonight beginning at 6 p.m. at Gatesville’s Box Field.