By By Adam Robinson – Sports Editor
The Brewton Babe Ruth 14-year-olds are headed to Demopolis after a 2-0 win over Monroe County A Saturday afternoon.
They join the 13-year-old Brewton Babe Ruth team as winners of the district championship and will advance to the state tournament.
For stats and details on Saturday's game, which included a two-hour rain delay, see Wednesday's edition of The Brewton Standard.
The team kicked off its tournament run with great pitching, a five-run second inning, great defense and a late inning homerun to get an opening round 6-3 over Monroe County A Thursday night in Monroeville.
Starting pitcher Gary McGraw worked three scoreless innings and struck out seven of the 11 batters he faced for Brewton to key the win on the mound and Brewton used a five run second inning to grab an early lead to advance into the winners bracket.
After taking a 5-0 lead, Brewton had its lead cut to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning before Logan Williamson connected on a fifth inning leadoff homerun to give Brewton a 6-3 lead and hang on for the win.
Brewton advanced to play Monroe B on Friday, July 4, and won 14-0 to set up a chance to claim the district championship on Saturday with a win.
In the game for Brewton against Monroe A, after placing runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the first inning, Brewton was unable to plate any runs.
In the bottom of the first inning, McGraw quickly recorded two outs before giving up a double. The hit would be the only hit McGraw surrendered in three innings. After the double, McGraw picked up his second strikeout of the inning to keep the score at 0-0 after one inning of play.
In the second inning, after a quick first out, Brewton's Shaun Odom was walked. After the second out of the inning was recorded, Monterius Culliver received a walk to put runners on first and second with two outs.
Keith Bradley followed with the third walk of the inning to load the bases for Brewton with two outs.
Collin Graves then connected and a Monroeville error gave Brewton a 2-0 lead. Conner Denton then singled and brought in two RBIs for Brewton to give Brewton a 4-0 lead.
After taking a 4-0 lead, Reid Johnson connected for an RBI single to give Brewton a 5-0 lead after the top of the second inning.
In the bottom of the second inning, McGraw struck out the side to keep Brewton's lead at 5-0 after two innings of play.
Both teams failed to score in the third inning, but Monroe A made a game of it in the bottom of the fourth inning after Brewton failed to score.
A leadoff single by Monroe followed by Brewton error and another single cut the Brewton lead to 5-3 after four innings of play.
In the top of the fifth inning, Brewton's Logan Williamson connected for a solo homerun to centerfield to put Brewton up 6-3. The run would be the last run of the game for both teams as Brewton claimed the three-run win.
McGraw took the win on the mound for Brewton as he went three innings and struck out seven of the 11 batters he faced, walked one and allowed one hit.
Keith Bradley relieved McGraw in the fourth inning and worked three innings and allowed three runs on four hits and struck out three.
Conner Denton closed the game with the save and had two strikeouts in one inning of work.
Offensively for Brewton, Logan Williamson led the team with a 2-for-4 day with a homerun and one RBI.
Conner Denton followed closely with a 3-for-4 day and two RBIs.
Monterius Culliver went 2-for-4 and Reid Johnson was 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Collin Graves went 1-for-4 to help lead Brewton in the win.