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By Sonny Jones

ELIZABETHTOWN — Cooper Clark allowed only one run after coming into pitch in the first inning and the Elizabethtown offense scored early and often Sunday in a 19-4 win against Red Springs in a Dixie Youth Baseball District 9 AAA winners’ bracket game at Leinwand Park.

Elizabethtown is scheduled to play West Robeson at 8 p.m. Monday in the winners’ bracket final of the five-team double elimination tournament. The tournament winner will advance to the DYB state tournament July 8-14 in Lumberton.

Fairmont, a 12-0 winner against Lumberton on Sunday in an elimination game, will play Red Springs on Monday at 6 p.m.

Regardless of Monday’s outcome, Elizabethtown will advance to Wednesday’s championship game since West Robeson had a bye Sunday after beating Lumberton 16-7 on Saturday. West Robeson will play the Fairmont-Red Springs winner on Tuesday.

Clark entered Sunday’s game after Red Springs had scored twice in the first inning to cut the deficit to 5-2. The right-hander allowed one inherited runner to score, but shut down Red Springs until the fourth inning when Red Springs scored its final run on a single by John Jackson and a series of Elizabethtown errors.

Clark allowed an unearned run, three hits, struck out seven and walked three in 3.2 innings.

Reid Hester and Clark each had a hit and drove in two runs for an Elizabethtown offense that took advantage of 15 walks and five hit batters. Kai Smeigh, Baylor Gooden, Greylan Nobles and Shawn Davisson each had one hit. Cooper Patrick, Nobles and Davisson each drove in a run.

Jabari Adams-Peterson scored three runs to lead Elizabethtown. Mark McMichael, Gooden, Aiden Wooten, Elijah Dicicco, Patrick and Davisson each scored twice. Smeigh, Hester, Nobles and Clark each scored once.

Consecutive singles by Smeigh and Gooden highlighted a five-run first inning for Elizabethtown.

Nobles had a run-producing single as part of a three-run second inning.

A two-run single by Hester and run-scoring hits by Clark and Davisson helped Elizabethtown score five runs to open a 13-3 lead.

Elizabethtown sent 12 batters to the plate in the fourth and scored six runs. Clark had a sacrifice fly and Patrick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Members of the Elizabethtown team (pictured at top) are:

Top from left: Jabari Adams-Peterson, Shawn Davisson, Aiden Wooten, Reid Hester, Kymani Matheson, and Elijah Dicicco

Bottom from left: Greylan Nobles, Mark McMichael, Cooper Clark, Baylor Gooden, Cooper Patrick, and Kai Smeigh

Coaches: Coach Adam Nobles, Manger Camrin Wooten, Coach Teffrey McKoy

Elizabethtown 535 6 — 19
Red Springs 300 1 — 4