So let the games begin!

The District 18 Little League All Star Tournament is underway.

One of the four opening round games in the 10-12-year-old tournament on Friday was a repeat of last year’s 11-year-old tournament final as Tamaqua and Hazleton tried to pick up where they left off.

The game featured hitting galore and plenty of long ball power as Tamaqua outslugged Hazleton en route to an impressive 15-6 rout.

The win sends Tamaqua into Monday’s winner’s bracket round at Jim Thorpe. Hazleton drops into the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

“We know each other quite well,” said Tamaqua skipper Trevor Steigerwalt referring to last year’s battles in the 11-year-old tourney. “Our kids can hit the ball for sure. We have 13 players that we can put up against any team in the tournament and get the results that we did (Friday). Our pitching is solid and that will help us as we go further into the rounds.”

Cian McLaughlin had a huge offensive game for Tamaqua, clubbing three doubles and accounting for three RBI.

McLaughlin was far from the only big hitter in the lineup, however, as Chris Andrews and Zander Coleman also had huge games. Andrews socked out a pair of home runs, while Coleman homered and tripled. Other keynote hits came from Luke Kane, who singled three times and had an RBI, and Mason Ligenza and Wyatt Steigerwalt, who both chipped in with singles.

Lost perhaps in the offensive array was the solid pitching of Brian Hinkle who allowed eight hits, striking out eight Hazleton batters, and showed top notch control not issuing a walk in going the distance to garner the mound decision.

After watching Hazleton jump in front on a two-run bomb off the bat of Francisco Pilier in the top of the first inning — one of three hits by the strapping shortstop — Tamaqua quickly rallied. Ligenza walked and scored on a McLaughlin double, Coleman than uncorked his home run to left center for a 3-2 lead and Andrews added to the power source with a solo home run.

The winners tacked on two unearned runs in the second, before a three-run outburst in the third on two hits made it 9-2.

Hazleton closed to within 9-6 as Pilier belted another home run and Emmanuel Santos added another bomb.

However, Tamaqua stoked the fires for six runs in the fifth inning to blow it open, sending 10 batters to the plate, led by Coleman’s triple.

BIG DUDES … Both sides had big players some over 6-feet tall. But size only goes so far in baseball — it’s hitting, defense and pitching that produces wins.

NUMBERING IT ALL … Hinkle tossed 81 pitches, including 50 in the strike zone. Hazleton used a pair of hurlers. Kevin Guzman started giving way to Pilier.

IMPRESSIVE … Hazleton collected eight hits, but six were extra-base blasts; four of which were home runs. Besides Pilier’s two home runs and double and Santos’ home run, Sam Guzman had a home run and double and his brother Kevin singled twice.

Hazleton 202 020 – 6 8 6

Tamaqua 420 36X – 15 12 1

K. Guzman, Pilier (4) and Perez; Hinkle and McLaughlin. W – McLaughlin. L – K. Guzman.