Zack Meares pitched seven strong innings and raced home with the winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning as Elizabethtown rallied for a 5-4 victory over Fairmont in the Dixie Youth Baseball District 9 Major League Tournament played Tuesday night in Elizabethtown.
After two were out in the bottom of the seventh, Meares reached base on a fielder’s choice. Brady Hollingsworth connected for a single that sent Meares to third base. Moments later Meares darted home on a passed ball to give Elizabethtown the victory.
With the victory, Elizabethtown secured a berth in the Major League State Tournament to be held in Cerro Gordo beginning July 17th.
Three Fairmont hits produced an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first before Meares recorded a strike out with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Ethan Johnson led off the bottom of the first for Elizabethtown with a single but was stranded as Fairmont retired the next three batters.
Meares struck out two of the three Fairmont batters in the top of the second.
Raymond Autry walked and moved to second on a passed ball to begin the bottom of the second inning for Elizabethtown. Jacob Priest, Chase Starkloff, and Garrett Melvin drew walks that forced home Autry and sliced the Fairmont lead to 2-1.
Fairmont extended its lead to 4-1 on a single and home run before a ground out ended the top of the third.
Ethan Johnson ripped a one-out double for Elizabethtown in the bottom of the third. Drew Sholar’s sacrifice moved Johnson to third and he scooted home when Meares cracked a single. Autry knocked in Meares with a single and trimmed the Fairmont lead to 4-3.
Meares struck out two of the three Fairmont batters in the top of the fourth.
Both teams only sent three batters to the plate in the fourth inning as the score remained 4-3.
Meares retired the three Fairmont batters in the top of the fifth inning.
Johnson smashed his second double of the night to begin the Elizabethtown fifth and later dashed home on a passed ball to tie the score 4-4.
Fairmont had a runner reach on a single before Meares struck out the next two batters to end the top of the sixth inning.
Jacob Priest and RaSean McKoy belted one-out singles in the home half of the sixth, but Fairmont retired the next two batters to end the scoring opportunity.
Fairmont got a lead off single to start the top of the seventh inning but Meares struck out two of the next three batters to end the top of the inning and set up the seventh inning heroics for Elizabethtown.
Johnson slammed 2 doubles and finished with 3 hits and 2 runs scored to lead the 9-hit attack for the winners. Meares, Sholar, Hollingsworth, Autry, Priest and McKoy added one hit each for Elizabethtown.
Meares drove in a run and scored twice. Autry drove in a run and scored a run. Melvin also had a run batted in.
Meares struck out ten in his 7 innings of work and allowed 7 hits.
Elizabethtown, West Robeson American, and West Robeson National each finished the night with one loss in the tournament and all three teams drew for a bye into the championship game. West Robeson National won the draw, so Elizabethtown and West Robeson American will play Wednesday night at 7:00 with the winner advancing to play West Robeson National Thursday in the championship game.
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