Stanly County rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth inning and held on for a 7-5 victory over Elizabethtown in the opening round of the North Carolina Dixie Youth Baseball Minors State Tournament Saturday in Lillington.
Elizabethtown led 4-3 after five innings, but a single, two errors and a home run keyed the Stanly rally that produced a 7-4 lead.
With two out in the bottom of the sixth, Tyler Johnson reached base on an error and came around to score on hits by Zamar Lewis and Coleman Tatum. Elizabethtown had runners on second and third base when the final out was recorded.
Stanly County scored in the third inning, but Elizabethtown answered with four runs in the fourth. Evan Pait drew a walk, and Coleman Tatum cracked a single. One out later, Walker Ward ripped a double.
Ryan Johnson belted a single, and Jackson Wright smacked a single. Tyler Johnson connected for a single as Elizabethtown took a 4-1 lead.
Stanly used a walk, an error and a single to trim the margin to 4-3 with two runs in the fifth inning.
Ward batted 2-3 with a double and a run scored to lead the Elizabethtown hitters. Teammates Coleman Tatum, Pait, Garrison Tatum, Ryan Johnson, Wright, Tyler Johnson and Lewis all contributed one hit each.
Pait, Coleman Tatum, Ward, Ryan Johnson and Tyler Johnson all scored one run each.
Coleman Tatum pitched the first 3 innings for Elizabethtown and struck out three batters. Pait relieved in the fourth and struck out one in his three innings on the hill.
Elizabethtown will play District 9 foe West Robeson National Sunday at 1 p.m. in an elimination game.
Share this article using the shortlink: https://bladencounty.org/?p=19327
About Author
