Delhi Little League has only been around for three years, but they are slowly progressing, and another sign of the progress was evident on Friday night from Julien field when the 11-year-old Delhi All Stars took on Atwater in the first round of the District 73 tournament.

The game remained close after two innings with just a five-run difference. However, by the end of the third Atwater had gone on a tear, eventually defeating Delhi in a 13-2 mercy-rule final after four innings.

“It’s actually really exciting to be here,” said Delhi coach Isidro Vargas. “It is our second time here since it is our third year doing Little League, so it’s really exciting. For some they’ve never been here before and it’s great to have them out here.”

Delhi is also the only team in the bracket with two girls on the team, Paris Sanchez and Soledad Cortez with Sanchez the starting pitcher.

Sanchez closed out the game with 75 pitches thrown in three innings of work.

With the score at 1-0 after the top of the second, Atwater added four more runs by the start of the third. In the top of the third, the lead was cut after Delhi’s Seth Wilbur blasted a two-run bomb over the right center field fence to make it 5-2.

Sanchez came out in the bottom of the third and finished the game for her squad, tossing all three innings.

Atwater added seven runs in the bottom of the third after a combination of miscues and errors allowed a handful of runners to reach home.

Delhi had three of four batters strikeout in the top of the fourth to end the game.

“The sooner we can get them in to play baseball and show them and teach them how to play the right way and how it’s done and make it fun, that is the reason we started this three years ago…just kept it growing and the kids love it.”

Delhi will next take on an opponent yet to be determined at 4 p.m. Sunday.