Intro T-Ball Eagles outfielder Jim Morton tosses the ball to second base while teammate Reed Schenkel backs him up. The Eagles T-Ball team battled the Thunder and Lightning Thursday evening at Youth Sports Inc.

Both the Thunder and Lightning and the Eagles finished the Parks and Rec Intro T-Ball League with a bang Thursday night at Youth Sports Inc. fields.

No scores are kept in the novice league, and the coaches of both teams emphasized that player improvement is paramount to scoring.

Kelly Ryan, coach of the Thunder and Lightning, mentioned his team was on its toes for the season finale.

“This was a good game. The kids have learned a lot this year,” Ryan said. “This last game was their chance to show all they learned.”

Ryan noted he only had two goals for the Thunder and Lightning – to learn and to have fun. He said he noticed marked improvement in the players after he gave them a mid-season assignment to play 30 minutes of catch with their parents before practices.

“That really helped them out and gave them confidence,” Ryan said.

Kenny Morton, coach of the Eagles, said he also witnessed his team grow from beginners to more skilled players. Morton’s goals were to focus on positions, throwing to and covering bases and fielding.

“It was a fun challenge to keep them focused and interested in fielding,” Morton said. “Everyone wants to hit, and fielding is harder to get them interested in.”

If Thursday was any indication, both the Eagles and Thunder and Lightning were interested in finishing their season on a high note.

Thunder and Lightning's Ethan Irons barrels towards third base in the first inning. The Lightning played the Eagles in a Lawrence Parks and Recreation T-Ball game Thursday at Youth Sports Inc.

Thunder and Lightning’s Alex Cohen, Bayn Schrader, Cameron Hodge, David Gates, Evan Howell and Murphy Movsovitz all swung strong in the first inning.

Then the Eagles’ Nate Hart, Tyler Pantoga, Kade Traffas, Jack Theisan and Ryan Byrn showed similar potent bat skills.

In the third inning, the Thunder and Lightning’s Teagan Ryan doubled, and the Eagles’ Jim Morton and Cole Narcony homered and doubled respectively.

Yet runs or no runs, both teams seemed happy. For many players the fun simply came from enjoying time on the field.

“My favorite part of this season was just the practices and all the games,” Jim Morton said.

Coach Morton said the best part for him was watching everyone improve.

“A lot of the kids played for the very first time this year,” he said. “It was a lot of fun for everyone and I’m glad about that.”