ELIZABETHTOWN – Elizabethtown exploded for 19 runs in the final two innings to defeat Fairmont 26-6 Sunday night in the Dixie Youth Baseball District 2 AAA (Minors) Tournament.
Fairmont grabbed an early 2-0 lead, but Elizabethtown pulled even with two runs in the second inning. Claxton Tatum, Tyler Eason and Collin Cole belted singles to start the inning, and Tatum and Eason scored runs.
Hunter Wood, Easton Bostic and C. J. McCracken drew walks in the Elizabethtown third inning. Joshua Dawson, Tatum and Eason smacked singles. Wood, Bostic, McCracken, Dawson and Tatum all scored as Elizabethtown built a 7-2 lead.
Fairmont started their half of the third with four straight walks and all four of them scored to trim the margin to 7-6.
With two out in the Elizabethtown fourth inning, Dawson walked, and Tatum laced a single. Eason, Cole, Brady Marlowe and Braylon Cromartie drew consecutive walks, and Hatcher reached base on an error. Dawson, Tatum, Eason, Cole, Marlowe, Cromartie and Hatcher all scored as the lead grew to 14-6.
Elizabethtown pulled away with 12 runs in the fifth inning. McCracken walloped a pair of doubles in the inning, and Hatcher hammered a triple. Hatcher, Bostic, Dawson, Eason, Cole, Jaxon Hair and Fox Sutton all drew walks and scored runs.
Cromartie walked twice and scored twice. Marlowe was hit by a pitch, Tatum reached on fielder’s choice and both of them scored. Hatcher scored after his triple.
McCracken clobbered three doubles in the game and scored once. Tatum batted 4-for-5 and scored four runs. Eason finished 2-for-3 at the plate and scored three runs. Hatcher tripled and scored three runs. Dawson and Cole added one hit each. Dawson and Cromartie scored three runs each. Bostic, Cole and Marlowe scored two runs each. Sutton, Wood and Hair scored one run each.
Elizabethtown drew 24 walks in the game.
McCracken started on the mound for Elizabethtown and pitched into the third inning. He allowed six runs on a hit and five walks while striking out three. Cromartie pitched three scoreless innings of relief and allowed three hits and a walk while striking out two to pick up the win.
Elizabethtown is the only unbeaten team remaining in the tournament and will play once-beaten West Robeson National at 8 p.m. Monday. Fairmont will battle West Robeson American at 6 p.m. in an elimination game.
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