Brewton 10-11s storm through district field to earn state berth
Published 12:39 am Monday, July 2, 2007
By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
With district banners from the past three seasons hanging on the outfield wall at the adjacent field, Brewton Little League Age 10-11 All-Stars coach Chris Griffin admitted he felt some pressure to make it four in a row.
Griffin and his team can now take a big sigh of relief. Not only did Brewton notch another district championship, it steamrolled its way there with a 12-1 victory over Covington County Tuesday night at the Brewton Area YMCA Park.
Wednesday's championship game lasted just three and a half innings just like Brewton's other game in the tournament, an 11-1 thumping of Andalusia last Sunday.
While it was just the second game of the tournament for Brewton with a day off in between games, it marked the fourth straight day of travel and competition for Covington County.
Brewton can thank the top of its lineup for much of its success Tuesday. Both leadoff batter Rob Stokes and Dominique Jackson, the number two hitter in the lineup, were a perfect six-for-six with six runs scored. Stokes was three-for-three, all singles, with a pair of stolen bases and an RBI. Meanwhile Jackson muscled up for a pair of triples to go along with a single. Jackson also drove in three runs.
It was not just Brewton's offense that was effective. Starting pitcher Trey Salter and Jackson combined on a two-hitter. Salter allowed both hits to go along with four strikeouts in three innings of work, while Jackson pitched a hitless and scoreless inning of relief.
Brewton made sure the tournament would not go an extra day when it raced to a 10-0 lead in the first two innings.
Three of those runs came in the bottom of the first inning. Stokes led off with a single and scored on Jackson's first triple. Caden Lodge reached on a fielder's choice when Covington County shortstop Curtis Bowman unsuccessfully tried to throw out Jackson at the plate after a groundball. A single by Darby Black, a wild pitch and an infield groundout by Taylor Cordell quickly made it 3-0.
Brewton sent 11 batters to the plate in a seven-run second inning that busted the game open. The first seven Brewton batters in the inning reached safely.
Paxton Reiss beat out an infield single, Kieon Smith walked and Stokes delivered an RBI single. Jackson picked up an RBI with a single and move dup a base on an error. Lodge beat out an infield single and Black walked with a couple of run-scoring wild pitched by Covington County pitcher Dallas Ham thrown in between. Taylor Cordell kept the merry-go-round going with an RBI single. Zac Griffin was retired, but his sacrifice fly got another run home. Ham then issued his third run-scoring wild pitch of the inning to make it 10-0.
Covington County's lone run came in the top of the third when Conner Livigs walked, went to third on two wild pitches and scored when Troy Greathouse reached on an infield error.
Brewton kicked the 10-run rule back into effect in the bottom of the third with its final two runs. Stokes, singled, stole second and scored on a triple by Jackson. Jackson stayed at third when Lodge reached on an error, but he scored when Black hit into a double play.
The district title sends Brewton to the state tournament at Jackson, which gets underway July 14. Pairings and game times will be announced at a later date.
At Brewton
Covington County 001 0 – 1 2 5
Brewton 372 X - 12 11 1