By By Adam Robinson – sports editor
Usually weather delays in baseball games are unwelcomed. But for the 14-year-old Brewton Babe Ruth team, the delay may have been a blessing in disguise.
After having only one hit through the first two innings of play Saturday in Monroeville, a weather delay of an hour and 45 minutes came.
After the delay, Brewton pounded out five hits and picked up two runs to defeat Monroe A for the second time in the tournament and claim a 2-0 win and the district championship.
The championship makes the Brewton 14-year-olds the third team in the area to win their district's title and advance to the state tournament.
After the rain break, you could tell that the kids were ready to play and were focused.”
Starting Brewton pitcher Gary McGraw continued his pitching dominance in the tournament and picked up his second tournament win and second win over the Monroe A team.
McGraw went the complete game seven innings and allowed no runs and only three hits and two walks while striking out 11 of the 25 batters he faced. McGraw faced the minimum amount of batters in every inning but two in the win and in those two innings, he only faced four in the third inning and six in the seventh inning.
In the seventh inning with Brewton up 2-0, Monroeville placed runners at second and third with no outs and then loaded the bases with one out before McGraw struck out the final two batters to get his 11th strikeout of the game.
With the 2-0 win, Brewton advances to the state tournament in Demopolis on July 19.
Brewton had their chance in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead after putting runners on second and third with one out, but a sacrifice fly attempt by Reid Johnson failed to plate a run for the Brewton All Stars and Brewton was shutout in the inning.
Both teams stayed off the scoreboard for the first two innings and the weather delay until Brewton broke through in the fourth inning.
In the fourth inning, Conner Denton reached base on an error. Johnson followed with a single and Logan Williamson followed Johnson with a single that scored Denton to give Brewton the early 1-0 lead in the fourth inning.
Brewton took a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning after a one out single by Monterius Culliver. Culliver then stole second and third and was singled in by Eli Tyree.
After both teams failed to score in the sixth inning, Monroeville threatened to tie the game and take the lead as they loaded the bases with one out.
After loading the bases, McGraw struck out the final two batters for the win.
Offensively for Brewton Denton, Johnson, Williamson and Culliver all were 1-for-3 on the day with Williamson having an RBI.
Keith Bradley went 1-for-4 and Eli Tyree was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Brewton 14, Monroe B 0
After defeating Monroe A 6-3 to open the tournament, the Brewton team drilled Monroe B 14-0 in the winners bracket game to advance to the championship round of the tournament.
Brewton held a 2-0 lead after three innings of play before exploding for 12 runs in the fourth inning to take the 14-0 win in five innings.
Reid Johnson led the all stars in the game with a 3-for-3 day with a double and two singles.
Gary McGraw and Shaun Odom were both 2-for-2 and Conner Denton and Caleb McAnally were both 2-for-4.
Keith Bradley and Logan Williamson were 1-for-3 and Collin Graves went 1-for-2. Ed Hines was 1-for-1 on the day in the win.
Denton picked up the win on the mound for Brewton. Denton went three innings and allowed one hit and struck out seven.
Bradley relieved Denton and went two innings and allowed no hits and struck out three.