A late rally by Elizabethtown came up a little short as West Robeson American held on for a 13-8 victory in the Dixie Youth Baseball District 9 Major League Tournament in Elizabethtown Wednesday night.
Ethan Johnson greeted the West Robeson pitcher with a first-pitch single in the Elizabethtown first inning and advanced to third on two passed balls. Brady Hollingsworth launched a deep sacrifice fly to right field that plated Johnson and put Elizabethtown up 1-0 lead midway the first inning.
West Robeson American exploded for six runs in the bottom of the first on three hits, including a home run, and six walks.
In the top of the second, Jacob Priest walked, RaSean McKoy was hit by a pitch, and Victor Campbell swatted a single to load the bases with no outs. However, West Robeson retired the next three Elizabethtown batters to end the scoring threat.
After two were out, West Robeson American loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, but shortstop Zack Meares made a leaping catch to end the inning.
Mahki Cromartie ripped a double to start the Elizabethtown third inning and advanced on a ground out. Raymond Autry reached base on an error by the first baseman as Cromartie scored. Later in the inning, pinch-runner Chase Starkloff remained in a run-down long enough to allow Autry to score from third base and trim the deficit to 6-3.
A pair of two-out doubles produced another West Robeson run in the bottom of the third and stretched the lead up to 7-3.
In the Elizabethtown fourth, Drew Sholar walked and advanced on a passed ball. Priest belted a single, and McKoy’s grounder brought home Sholar. Campbell followed with another ground ball that plated Priest and whittled the margin to 7-5.
West Robeson American surged ahead again by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on four hits and two errors to stretch the lead to 12-5.
Johnson cracked a single, and Meares drew a walk to start the Elizabethtown fifth inning, but West Robeson retired the next three batters to end the scoring opportunity.
West Robeson American tacked on one run in the bottom of the fifth on two hits to extend the lead to 13-5.
Priest smacked a single to begin the Elizabethtown sixth. Two outs later, Grayson Clark delivered a single to keep the Elizabethtown hopes alive. Johnson hammered a double that drove in Cromartie who was pinch-running for Priest.
Meares knocked in Clark and Johnson with a single that sliced the lead to 13-8. Autry and Hollingsworth drew walks to load the bases, but the West Robeson center-fielder made a catch at the center field fence to end the Elizabethtown rally.
Johnson led the 9-hit Elizabethtown attack with a double, 2 singles, 2 runs scored and a run batted in. Priest connected for 2 hits and scored a run.
Cromartie walloped a double and scored 2 runs, and Meares, Campbell, and Clark added one hit each for Elizabethtown.
Meares drove in 2 runs, and McKoy, Hollingsworth, Autry and Campbell had one rbi each. Sholar, Autry and Clark scored one run each.
Clark started on the mound for Elizabethtown and Autry relieved him in the first. Hollingsworth then relieved Autry in the first and pitched 3.1 innings. Priest pitched the fifth inning for Elizabethtown.
By securing third-place in the District 9 Tournament, Elizabethtown had already qualified for the NC DYB State Tournament that will begin in Cerro Gordo on July 18th.
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