A game in the Rookie Baseball league usually makes for a pretty entertaining hour, with parents on the field helping out, zany baserunning, a lot of runs and some moments of baseball brilliance when the 7- and 8-year-old players do something to make the spectators ooh and aah.

The June 28 game between the Blasters and the Dragons at Youth Sports Inc. was no exception as it featured all these things as the ballpark faithful braved temperatures that neared the century mark to share in the fun.

“I think they improve each game,” Blasters assistant coach Bill Edmonds said. “They learn a little bit at a time and it’s a lot of fun.”

“It was kind of tough at first,” added first base coach Brian Koppes. “A lot of these kids haven’t played before so they’ve learned a lot.”

Signs of improvement were evident in the first inning when the Blasters showed off some nifty defense. Brad Kincaid fielded a ground ball and stepped on first base for the out. Noah Koppes also scooped a grounder and stepped on second base for an out.

Dragons player Andre Wake showed his determination to get on base by hitting a pitch that bounced before it made it to the plate. Wake still made it to first base with a single.

Ben Witte also drove in two runs for the Dragons in the inning with a double.

The Blasters came out blazing in the bottom of the inning, with Price Morgan and Kincaid hitting home runs, and Brennan Davies hitting a triple.

The Dragons managed to turn a rare double play in the inning as well. Second baseman Sam Thomas caught a ball in the air and tossed it to Clay Lister at first base to double off the Blasters base runner.

The highlight of the Dragons’ half of the second inning was a grand slam home run off the bat of Fred Brou.

Sam Thomas had a double for the Blasters in the bottom of the second.

Alex Waite singled to drive in a run for the Dragons in the top of the third inning, then Sam Dykes cleared the bases with a grand slam.

The Dragons’ defense stepped up in the bottom of the third with Brou catching a line drive in the air for an out. Koppes had a triple in the inning for the Blasters, and Brennan Davies singled to drive in a run.

Dykes ended the inning, and the game, when he tripled to score three runs and the Blasters reached the league’s five-run-per-inning limit.

After the game, the players and coaches grabbed drinks from their teams’ coolers and tried to cool off after all the yelling and excitement.

Dragons coach Cheryl Witte summed up the game nicely.

“I think the players all played wonderfully,” Witte said.