By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Baseball Association’s 2026 Andre Rodgers Baseball Championships is now swinging into high gear at both the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium and the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

One of the match-ups on day one of the championships yesterday was played at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium in the under-16 division where the Legacy Baseball League shutout the Long Island Baseball 9-0.

Legacy had a chance to close the door in the bottom of the third, but they couldn't get the extra run needed with a runner on third with two out. They went to the top of the fourth and got Long Island out 1-2-3 as time expired. 

It was the second game of the day for Legacy as they rebounded from a loss to Freedom Farm. Long Island played their first game of the day.

"It's a great experience, especially for the kids. Every year we come out here and we play hard," said Legacy's coach David Hoyte. "The kids love to compete against the different islands."

Hoyte said they are right where they want to be after the first day at 1-1. If they can win their next game today in an island showdown against the Grand Bahama Little League, he is confident that they will have a good chance to get into the medal round.

For Long Island, Jeiter Miller, coach of Long Island, said some of their players are playing for the first time, so they just have to overcome the jitterbugs.

"The guys can only compete at their level, so once they give it their all, that is all we are looking for," Miller said. "We just have to come out tomorrow and play some more baseball."

The four-day championships, sponsored by the Brice-Newball Foundation, will continue today with a series of games in all seven divisions. The official opening ceremonies will take place at 7pm today. The championships will be played all day on Saturday and will conclude on Father's Day on Sunday with the champions being crowned.

• Here's a look at some of the other scores from games played yesterday:

20U Division

JBLN knocked off the Abaco Youth Baseball League 13-3. Both teams scored a run in the first before Abaco went up 3-1 in the second, only to watch as JBLN responded with five in the bottom to double the score.

After getting shut out in the top of the third, Abaco was helpless as JBLN paraded for seven runs to complete the game via the 10-run rule.

14U Division

Freedom Farm blanked the Community Baseball League 14-0, scoring six runs in the first, five in the second and three in the third in their abbreviated three-inning affair via the mercy rule.

JBLN routed the Abaco Youth Baseball 17-0 with three runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first and 14 more in the third for their abbreviated three-inning massacre, topped by the mercy rule as well. JBLN didn't have my mercy, stopping the Abaco Youth Baseball League 17-0 in three innings. After scoring three in the first, they marched to home plate 14 times in the second. Legacy Baseball League held off Long Island Baseball 8-2, producing four runs in the bottom of the first, one in the second and three in the third. Long Island came up with one run in both the top of the first and third.

10U Division

Freedom Farm and Legacy from Grand Bahama played to a 1-1 tie. The score was scoreless for the first three innings before both teams got a run on the scoreboard in the fourth.

8U Division

Grand Bahama Little League doubled up its island rivals Legacy Baseball League 16-6. While Legacy struck first with six runs in the top of the first, GBLL responded with their 16 runs in the bottom for the abbreviation.