ELIZABETHTOWN – Eli Freeman pitched 4 innings of scoreless relief as West Robeson rallied for a 9-6 victory over Elizabethtown Thursday night in the North Carolina Dixie Youth Baseball Division 1 Majors State Tournament.
It was Elizabethtown’s 1st loss in the tournament and leaves Elizabethtown, West Robeson and Fairmont with 1 loss each in the double-elimination event. Elizabethtown will play Fairmont Friday at 6:30 p.m. and the winner of that game will play West Robeson Saturday at 10 a.m.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Freeman relieved West Robeson starting pitcher Kennan Hunt in the 3rd inning and allowed 3 hits while striking out three. Hunt had allowed 6 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2 in his 2-plus innings on the mound.
Elizabethtown’s Collin Cole led off the game with a walk, and Claxton Tatum smashed a single through the middle. An error on the play advanced both runners, and both of them scored 2 outs later when C. J. McCracken walloped a double off the center field fence.
Mason Brewer dumped a single into right field to begin the West Robeson 2nd inning, and Conley Jacobs tied the game with a 2-run home run over the left field fence. Freeman beat out an infield hit, and 2 outs later Ayden Hammond drove him in with a double to right that edged West Robeson ahead 3-2.
Fox Sutton ripped a single down the left field line to start the Elizabethtown 3rd inning. Cade Rogers walked, and Cole laced a single over 2nd base to load the bases.
Tatum drilled a double to left-center field that scored Sutton and Rogers and vault Elizabethtown in front. A throwing error on Cam Byers ground ball plated Cole, and Dawson’s ground ball scored Tatum to push the Elizabethtown lead to 6-3.
West Robeson answered with 6 runs in the bottom of the inning. Wyatt McMillan blooped a single to right, and Joseden Oxendine walked. Jordan Locklear’s double scored McMillan and Oxendine. Hunt slapped a single to right, and Jacobs drove in Locklear with a single.
Hunt scored on a wild pitch to put West Robeson in front 7-6. Jacobs beat out an infield hit, and Christian Locklear lined a double that scored Mason Brewer and Jacobs for a 9-6 Elizabethtown lead.
Tatum batted 2-for-3 with a double, 2 runs batted in and 2 runs scored. McCracken finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and 2 RBIs. Tyler Eason hammered a double, and Cole, Jackson Hair, Sutton and Dawson added 1 hit each. Cole scored 2 runs, and Sutton and Rogers scored 1 run each. Dawson also had an RBI.
McCracken pitched the 1st 2 innings for Elizabethtown and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits while striking out one. Byers pitched 0.1 innings of relief and allowed 6 runs on 5 hits and a walk while striking out one. Tatum worked 2.1 scoreless innings of relief and gave up 2 hits and a walk while striking out three. Jayce Hatcher threw 1 pitch in relief in the 6th inning and retired the only batter he faced.
Jacobs batted 3-for-3 with the 2-run homer and 2 runs scored to lead the West Robeson hitters. Brewer was 2-for-3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Jordan Locklear doubled and drove in 2 runs. Hammond doubled home another run.
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