03/27/2024
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Dixie Youth BaseballElizabethtown exploded for six runs in the fourth inning and rolled to an 11-1 victory over Waccamaw in an elimination game of the Dixie Youth Majors State Tournament Tuesday night in Cerro Gordo.

The Waccamaw fielders speared two hard line-outs in the top of the first, and even though Brady Hollingsworth reached base on an error, Elizabethtown was held scoreless.

Waccamaw loaded the bases in the bottom of the first after two were out, but Hollingsworth came in to relieve Drew Sholar for Elizabethtown and retired the next batter to end the scoring threat.

Rasean McKoy ripped a lead-off double in the top of the second, and two outs later, Grayson Clark beat out an infield hit. However, Waccamaw retired the next batter to hold Elizabethtown scoreless.

Hollingsworth struck out three of the four Waccamaw batters he faced in the bottom of the second inning.

Garrett Melvin slammed a one-out double in the top of the third and moved to third base on Chase Starkloff’s sacrifice. Ethan Johnson was hit by a pitch, before Zack Meares hammered a double that drove in Melvin and Johnson.  Meares scored later in the inning to give Elizabethtown a 3-0 lead.

Hollingsworth struck out all three Waccamaw batters in the bottom of the third inning.

Sholar belted a single to start the big Elizabethtown fourth inning. Sholar advanced on a passed ball and raced home when McKoy cracked a single.

Jacob Priest reached base on a fielder’s choice, and Starkloff, the pinch-runner, scooted to third base when Raymond Autry walloped a double. Starkloff dashed home on a passed ball.

Makhi Cromartie smashed a double to drive in Autry, and Johnson laced a single that scored Cromartie. Meares then blasted a first-pitch fastball over the center field fence for a two run homer. Holllingsworth and Sholar drew walks, but were stranded as the inning ended with Elizabethtown ahead 9-0.

Waccamaw scored one run in the bottom of the fourth on two hits.

Elizabethtown added two insurance runs in the top of the fifth.  Priest led off with a single and advanced to second on a fielding error.  Autry then crushed a two-run homer to right field that stretched the lead to 11-1.

Hollingsworth struck out all three Waccamaw batters in the bottom of the fifth to end the game on the ten-run rule.

Meares slugged a home run, a double, scored twice and drove in 4 runs to lead the Elizabethtown hitters. Autry also clubbed a home run, a double, scored twice and drove in 2 runs.

McKoy swatted a double, a single and drove in a run. Cromartie and Melvin both smacked doubles and scored runs. Cromartie also drove in a run.

Hollingsworth, Johnson, Sholar, Clark and Priest added a single each to the 13-hit Elizabethtown attack. Johnson scored two runs, and Sholar, Priest and Starkloff scored one run each. Johnson also drove in a run.

Hollingsworth pitched 4.1 innings of two-hit relief and struck out nine batters to pick up the win.

Elizabethtown, Burgaw, and Kannapolis all had one loss after Tuesday night. The teams drew and Kannapolis got the bye. Therefore, Elizabethtown will play Burgaw Wednesday night at 6:00 in an elimination game.

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