RED SPRINGS – Fairmont broke a 4-4 tie with 3 runs in the fifth inning and held on for a 7-5 victory over Elizabethtown in the District 9 Dixie Youth Baseball Majors Tournament Championship Game Thursday night.
Fairmont advances to the DYB Majors State Tournament with the victory. Elizabethtown will play West Robeson American Friday at 7 p.m. in Red Springs. The winner of that game secures District 9’s second State Tournament berth.
After Fairmont took an early lead, Elizabethtown tied the game 1-1 in the home half of the first. Garrison Tatum ripped a single down the left field line and moved up on Evan Pait’s sacrifice. Ty Mathis knocked in Garrison Tatum with a single.
Coleman Tatum walloped a home run in the second inning to put Elizabethtown up 2-1. In the Elizabethtown third inning, Garrison Tatum cracked a 2-out single, and Pait laced a single to left that drove in Garrison Tatum and padded the lead to 3-1.
Kaleb Pulley blasted a 3-run homer in the top of the fourth that vaulted Fairmont in front 4-3.
Tyler Johnson drew a one-out walk in Elizabethtown fourth, and Coleman Tatum yanked a 2-out single to left that scored Tyler Johnson and tied the game 4-4.
Fairmont converted a walk and 3 hits into 3 runs in the top of the fifth. Pait hammered a solo home run in the home fifth to pull Elizabethtown to within 7-5.
Elijah Bullard started on the mound for Elizabethtown and pitched 3 innings, striking out 5 and allowing a run on 3 walks. Coleman Tatum pitched the fourth inning and gave up 3 runs on 2 hits and a walk. Mathis worked the final 2 innings on the mound and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk while striking out two.
Mathis batted 3-3 and drove in a run. Pait finished 2-2 with a home run and 2 runs batted in. Coleman Tatum batted 2-3 with a home run and 2 rbi’s. Garrison Tatum finished 2-4 at the plate.
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