CHATSWORTH - The Boynton Bandits and LaFayette Ramblers were the biggest winners on the opening night of the Dizzy Dean 7-year-old District 1 baseball tournament at the Murray County Recreation Department Complex on Friday night.

The Bandits dispatched Gordon County, 24-2, in their first game of the night, while LaFayette earned a 12-4 win over Murray County in their opener.

Two more local teams also claimed victory in their tournament openers. The Chickamauga Trojans hammered Whitfield County's All-Stars, 26-4, while the Boynton Jackets run-ruled Whitfield County No. 1, 17-2.

Ringgold and Dade County squared off in the night's final first-round game, with the Blue-and-White claiming the win. The score of the game was not available as of press time.

The Bandits went on to a 17-1 victory over the Jackets later on Friday night, while LaFayette claimed a 24-16 win over Chickamauga in an all-Walker County battle.

LaFayette will play at 10 a.m. Saturday against Ringgold with the winner moving on to face the Bandits at approximately 11:15 for a spot in Monday night's championship game.

The Jackets will face Dade County in an elimination game at 10 a.m., while Chickamauga will also play at 10 a.m. as they take on Murray County in an elimination game. Murray County knocked out Whitfield County No. 1 late Friday night.

The first night of play in the 8-year-old District 1 tournament got underway at the Lowell Greene Complex in LaFayette on Friday.

The Ringgold Red Sox beat Murray County in an opening-round game, while host LaFayette was beaten by Dade County. Chickamauga took down the Whitfield County Mad Dogs, and Chattanooga Valley got past Gordon County.

Scores of the games were not available as of press time.

The final first-round game will be played at 10 a.m. on Saturday as Rock Spring battles the Whitfield Nitro.

The Ringgold Tigers, who drew a bye in the first round, will face Chickamauga at 10 a.m., while the Red Sox will go up against Dade County in a 1 p.m. second-round game. Chattanooga Valley will also play at 1 p.m. against the Rock Spring-Whitfield Nitro winner.

Losers' bracket elimination games will begin at 11:30 a.m. with LaFayette taking on Murray County and the Mad Dogs facing Gordon County.

A few miles back up Highway 27, the 10-year-old District 1 tournament got going in Rock Spring.

First-round action saw Rossville defeat Ringgold and Whitfield County take down LaFayette. Boynton upended Chickamauga and Gordon County toppled Murray County.

Scores of the games were not available as of press time.

Saturday's winners' bracket games will pit Rossville versus Whitfield County at 10 a.m. and Boynton against Gordon County at 12 noon. The winners' of those two games will face off at 4 p.m. for a spot in Monday night's title game.

A 10 a.m. elimination games will match up Ringgold and Chickamauga with LaFayette and Murray County squaring off at 12 noon. The winners of those two games will have to play another round of elimination games at 2 p.m.

The 12-year-old District 1 tournament began play at Edwards Park in Dalton on Friday night with a revised five-team bracket after three teams dropped out this week.

Gordon County pushed home the game-winner in the bottom of the sixth to beat the Whitfield All-Stars, 12-11, while the Boynton Bulls blasted Murray County, 16-0.

The Whitfield County Bombers, who drew the first-round bye, will take on Gordon County at 12 noon on Saturday with the winner to face Boynton at 4:30 p.m. with a spot in Sunday night's championship game on the line.

Murray County and the Whitfield All-Stars will meet Saturday in an elimination game.

In 11-year-old District 1 action from this past Tuesday, the Whitfield Wolverines beat the Whitfield Lookouts twice to win the championship. Chickamauga placed third while Rock Spring was fourth.

Complete tournament brackets can be found online at www.dizzydeanga.org.