With a 5-1 record, Gloucester High School varsity baseball team is alone in second place in the Peninsula District standings. Undefeated Woodside holds first place, and Hampton and Menchville are one game back from the Dukes at 5-2.

After a rained-out starting game, Gloucester opened the season with a 19-3 thrashing of the visiting Heritage Hurricanes. Jaykeb Pinto got the win on the mound for the Dukes, while Derek Poole, Adam Baldwin, Anthony Morande, Linzie Coleman and Justin May each had two or more hits in the batting fest.

Gloucester beat Bethel, 9-1, with Jacob Brown on the mound. Tyler Wood, Hector Rios and Morande each had two or more hits, and Morande scored a pair of runs and had two RBIs. A 6-2 loss to Menchville followed, with Michael Clements pitching. Baldwin, Morande, Brian Belvin, Kenny Parks and Jon Letchworth each had a hit against the Monarchs.

Brown pitched a five-run shutout to Kecoughtan, with Baldwin and Belvin each hitting home runs in the win. Coleman ...