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Irvine Ranch Little League celebrates three decades of play

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  • Cooper Gray, left, 4 1/2 high-fives his dad, Chris Gray, right, during the Opening Day parade. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Nate Davidson, 4 1/2 of Irvine throws a tennis ball with hist brother and a friend before Opening Day. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

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  • Players line-up before the Opening Day parade and ceremonies for the Irvine Ranch Little League. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Bryan Lu, 5, plays one of the many games the league provided for Opening Day. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Dad, Michael Panutich and his daughter, London, 6, watch the Opening Day ceremonies. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Oberon Harber, 5, of Irvine catches a bean bag in one of the games on Opening Day. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Chris Gray, center, helps his son, Cooper Gray, 4 1/2, right, while Jackson Fiori, 5, left, attempt to put on catcher’s gear during Opening Day. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Tee-Ball players line-up for the Opening Day parade. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Tee-Ballers recite the pledge of allegiance on Opening Day. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Wyatt Elliot, 19, celebrates throwing out the first pitch of the season on Opening Day for the Irvine Ranch Little League. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

  • Feet of some of the players wait for the beginning of the Opening Day parade. Irvine Ranch Little League has been providing children with the opportunity to play Little League baseball to boys and girls in Irvine for 30 years. Photographed on Saturday February 23, 2019. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

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Irvine Ranch Little League is starting its 30th year with a growth spurt, league president Erik Peterson said.

Though the recent rains have made a headache of scheduling, the league held its opening ceremonies on Saturday at Los Lomas Community Park.

More than 360 players ages 4 to 14 are playing this season, which is a bump up in registration after a series of flagging years, Peterson said.

The board has recently put a lot of emphasis on marketing the league to families and trying to pick up new sponsors, Peterson said. The league serves the southern section of Irvine along with Newport Beach.

“We are very pumped,” Peterson said. “We can’t believe the numbers we got.”