VALDOSTA — The 12th annual South Georgia Diamond Brawl that featured 36 teams, seven fields and 69 games is over.
“I thought it went very smooth,” Lowndes head coach Danny Redshaw said. “All the host schools did a great job running their fields. That was wonderful. The Dugout Club also did a great job running tournament. We got all the games in which was a good deal. We’ve very excited. I want to thank the Dugout Club, the host fields and sponsors Wal-Mart and Steels Jewelry. We couldn’t have done it without them.” ”
Teams came from as far away as Athens and Bradenton, Fla., to participate in the tournament. Lowndes, Valdosta, Brooks, Cook, Lanier, Berrien and Valwood all hosted games.
“I’m glad it’s over,” Redshaw said. “It’s been hot, and we had four days of hard word. Now it’s time to take a break.”
It will be an extended break for the Lowndes Vikings. The next time they take the field as a team will be in February. In the meantime, the 2009 region 1-AAAAA champions and host of the Diamond Brawl can reflect on a good summer. The Vikings won the Tournament of Champions in Tallahassee last week, going 4-0. They finished the summer by going 2-1 in the Diamond Brawl. They lost to Jenkins 1-0, beat Shaw 14-2 and beat Cedar Shoals 14-4.
Austin Hill pitched all three innings against Shaw and five pitchers were used in five innings against Cedar Shoals.
The Vikings will return most of their starting lineup from the 2009 season.
“We had a good summer,” Redshaw said. “We’re just excited. We found pitching depth. Ryan Farrill had a great summer and we’re excited about our two senior lefties Payne Alderman and Brandon Gilbert. There’s a good rising junior group. We accomplished what we wanted to and needed to.”
The Valdosta Wildcats ended the Diamond Brawl with a 2-2 record. They beat Jenkins 4-0 on Thursday, lost to Calvary Day 16-2 on Friday and on Saturday they lost to South Effingham 7-4 and beat Thomas County Central 7-6.
Against the Thomas County Central, the Wildcats scored five runs in the fifth to take a 7-3 lead and hung on to win.
Brent Robison contributed with a bases loaded single and Tyler Yelito knocked a two-run double.
Like the Vikings, the Diamond Brawl games were the last games for the Wildcats until February.
“(Summer) went well,” Valdosta head coach Bart Shuman said. “We still have some holes to fill and some competition at some positions. We had some kids step up and zero in on a position, but we are still going to have some openings.”
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12th annual South Georgia Diamond Brawl concludes
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