By Brad Greer

Two contrasting games kicked off the 2011 American Legion 13-15 year-old baseball season Monday night.

Hammer Hankins drove in six runs to power the Royals to a 16-1 romp over the A’s in the opener while the Red Sox edged the Yankees 2-1 despite being held to no hits.

Landon Fullilove scored four runs as the Royals pounded out 13 hits in route to the easy victory. Hankins led the hit parade with a double and two singles while Fullilove and Macen Magee added a pair of singles. Hunter Darby added a double and single while Justin Bolton chipped in with a double. Other hitters included J. C. Harper, Hunter Bryant and Ryan Darby all followed with singles.

Harper picked up the win on the mound for the Royals by throwing four shutout innings, surrendering three hits and fanning four on the night. Hankins finished the game by tossing the final inning.

The A’s scored their only run in the fifth on consecutive singles by Ty Campbell, Braiden Scott and Demetrivs Market. Tyler Beard picked up the RBI by walking to force in Campbell. Scott Taylor doubled while Jessie Pearson and Ridge Simmerman singled. Austin Jones and Simmerman tossed two innings each for the A’s.

In the nightcap, Tyler Pogue, Jobie Ellington, Morgan Tubbs and Zac Bolen combined on a no-hitter for the Yankees but it was to no avail however as the Red Sox scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the third as Clay Harbour raced home on a wild pitch. Towles gave up no earned runs on four hits while fanning 11 on the night.

The Yankees scored their lone run in the top of the first as Pogue reached on an error then later came home on a Morgan Tubbs RBI single. The Sox tied the game at one in the bottom of the first as Cameron Brown crossed the plate. Tubbs led the Yankees at the plate with two singles while Bolen, Chris Cassidy and David Shelley chipped in with singles.