Cove summer baseball season ends

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove summer baseball season came to a close this week with the three teams fighting for a state title.
The Copperas Cove Rangers’ impressive run came to close on Thursday night after falling to the eventual champion Blooming Grove Black team in the Texas Teenage Baseball 14-and-under state tournament in Groesbeck.
After opening the tournament with a win over hosts Groesbeck Mayhugh, the Rangers came up against a pair of tough foes in the Brownwood Cubs and Blooming Grove Black.
The Rangers suffered their first loss of the season Thursday afternoon to the Brownwood Cubs that put them in a win-out scenario but they faced a Blooming Grove team facing the same dilemma. 
Blooming Grove lost their second round contest against the Grand Saline Indians before reeling off six-straight wins to claim the crown after downing the previously unbeaten Alto team in back-to-back games for the championship.
The Belton Padres had a similar trip through the TTAB 10U state tournament in Copperas Cove.
The Padres began their tournament with wins over the DeLeon Stix and Whitehouse Warriors before suffering their first loss of the tournament to the cross-town rival Belton Dodgers.
They responded with a win over Kerens in the semifinals before seeking revenge on their Belton counterparts with a back-to-back wins over the Dodgers to claim the 10U title.
The hosting Copperas Cove Astros and Copperas Cove Red Sox lost their opening round contests to Gatesville’s Meugge Heating and Air and Whitehouse Warriors, respectively.
The Astros then had their season ended by the other Gatesville team in the tournament, Gatesville First Baptist Church, in the second round and Mexia Sterling ousted the Red Sox.