03/29/2024
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Dixie Youth BaseballKannapolis rallied for four runs in the sixth inning to defeat Elizabethtown 9-7 in the North Carolina Dixie Youth Major League State Tournament Monday night in Cerro Gordo.

Kannapolis used two hits to take a 1-0 first-inning lead. A walk to Brady Hollingsworth accounted for the lone Elizabethtown base-runner in the bottom of the inning.

Elizabethtown pitcher Jacob Priest issued a walk in the second inning, but struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Rasean McKoy reached base on an error to begin the Elizabethtown second but was forced out at second on Priest’s fielder’s choice. Grayson Clark knocked in Priest with a single. After Garrett Melvin walked, Victor Campbell delivered a single to drive in Clark and put Elizabethtown in front 2-1.

Priest retired the side in order in the Kannapolis third, and Elizabethtown tacked on a pair of runs in the home half of the inning to up the count to 4-1.

Ethan Johnson drew a one-out walk, but was forced out on Zack Meares’ fielder’s choice.   After Hollingsworth walked, Drew Sholar drove in both Meares and Hollingsworth and reached third base on an error.

Kannapolis trimmed the lead to 4-3 in the top of the fourth capitalizing on two hits and two errors.

Raymond Autry walked in the Elizabethtown fourth but was stranded as Kannapolis retired the next two batters to end the inning.

Kannapolis used two hits and a walk to vault back in front 5-4 in the top of the fifth.

Johnson started the Elizabethtown fifth inning with a single, and Hollingsworth drew his third walk of the night.  Sholar hammered a double to drive in Johnson, and McKoy’s sacrifice plated Hollingsworth with the go-ahead run. Sholar sprinted home on a passed ball to give Elizabethtown a 7-5 lead after five innings.

Kannapolis then answered with the four-run, sixth inning to go back on top 9-7.

Autry led off the Elizabethtown sixth inning with a walk, and Johnson slammed a two-out double that sent Autry to third base. Kannapolis retired the next batter to end the game with the tying runs in scoring position.

Johnson smashed a double and a single and scored a run to lead the Elizabethtown hitters. Sholar swatted a double, scored a run and drove in three runs.

Campbell and Cambell laced run-scoring singles, and Clark scored a run. Autry connected for the other Elizabethtown hit, and Priest and Meares scored one run each. McKoy drove in a run, and Hollingsworth scored twice.

Priest worked the first three innings on the hill for Elizabethtown. Hollingsworth pitched 1.1 innings of relief, and Clark came on to work the final 1.2 innings on the mound.

Elizabethtown will play Waccamaw in an elimination game Tuesday at 5:30.

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