ELIZABETHTOWN –A trio of Columbia pitchers combined to pitch a 3-hitter and strike out 12 batters in a 7-2 Dixie Boys Baseball victory over the Navy Friday night.
Makhi Cromartie started on the mound and pitched 2-plus innings for the winners, striking out six and allowing 2 runs on 2 walks and 2 hits. Alex Brisson picked up the win with 3 scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing a hit and a walk.
Ryan Johnson closed out the win with two scoreless, hitless innings and struck out two batters.
Chase Starkloff drew a walk, stole 2 bases and scored a first inning Columbia run.
Navy rallied with 2 runs in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Josh Russ swatted a single to centerfield, and Davion Graham and Riley Stanley drew walks. Wadeyn Norris lifted a sacrifice fly to leftfield that scored Russ. Aaron Wren walked, and Bryley Williams drove in Graham with an infield hit.
Columbia retook the lead with a 4-run third inning. Tucker Carroll started the rally with a hit, and Kory Smith walked. Ahmad Powell singled to load the bases. Starkloff’s fielder’s choice plated Carroll.
Cromartie lined a single to right that scored Smith and Powell. Tyler Hill knocked in Cromartie with a single for a 5-2 Columbia lead.
Smith walked to begin the Columbia fifth inning but was forced at second by Powell. Starkloff drove in Powell with a single to push the lead to 6-2.
Hill led off the Columbia sixth with a single and was forced home by 2-out walks to Brisson, Tyler Johnson and Walker Ward.
Powell batted 2-2 and Hill batted 2-3 to lead the Columbia hitters. Starkloff, Cromartie, Tyler Johnson, and Carroll added one hit each for the winners.
Williams started on the mound for the Navy and was relieved by Kaiden Stanley in the third inning. Williams struck out three and allowed 5 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. Stanley allowed 2 runs in his 3.1 innings on 6 walks and 2 hits while striking out six.
Russ, Elijah Crabtree, Williams connected for one hit each for the Navy.
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