New Home Run Derby King Crowned in La Verne Little League Skills Competition

Home Run Derby champs Cole Sojka and Ruben Preciado. Not pictured Pipes Lopez.

Around the Horn champs Cameron Muyres, Logan Zylstra and Cole Sojka. Not pictured Nick Lodolo.

Speedsters Ethan Valore (14.16 seconds), Ben D’ Aquila (14.50 seconds), and Luke Peifer (14.56 seconds).

La Verne Little League players were racing around the bases, smashing home runs and whipping baseballs around the diamond in a night of skills competitions last night at Pelota Park.

From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Little League tee-ballers to the juniors, kids competed in the:

Max Siegal races home.

• Home Run Derby
• Run the Bases
• Around the Horn

In the major division, Cole Sojka bombed 13 home runs to win the Home Run Derby. Ruben Preciado finished second with 12 and Pipes Lopez hit 7 tape measure shots into the palm trees.

In the Around the Horn drill, which tests a four-man team’s accuracy and precision, it was the Major Division White Sox recording the night’s best time of 13.21 seconds. Members of the winning team included: Cameron Muyres, Logan Zylstra, Cole Sojka and Nick Lodolo.

In the Minors several players ran the bases, competing to record the fastest time. When all the diamond dust settled the winners were Ethan Valore (14.16 seconds), Ben D’ Aquila (14.50 seconds), and Luke Peifer (14.56 seconds).

Today, the action continues with the Spring Swing Day Carnival, featuring food, fun, face-painting, games and more from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bring the entire family out to the ballpark.