VALDOSTA —
The run through the Dizzy Dean World Series came to an end Sunday for the Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority’s 8-year-old All-Star team, the Valdosta Blazers.
Fortunately for the 10-year-old All-Stars, the Sluggers, they were able to win a pair of games and keep their World Series championship hopes alive.
The Blazers started the day with an 8-6 victory over the Alpharetta Eagles, but later fell to the Georgia state champion, East Cherokee Bulls, 9-1.
The Sluggers beat Columbus (Miss.) 6-4 before beating Mississippi state champion Statesville 14-4 in the afternoon game.
With the victories, the Sluggers play East Walker (Ala.) today at 1:30 Eastern time. If they are victorious, they will play immediately following the conclusion of that game.
The Sluggers lost to East Walker 13-9 on the first day of the tournament.
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In the Blazers’ victory over Alpharetta, Daniel Kerrigan and Nate Bowman each recorded two hits and two RBIs, while Wyatt Crosby and Mason Steele each recorded a hit and an RBI. Lamonte Lindon had a pair of hits and drove in a run.
In the loss to East Cherokee, the Blazers and Bulls were tied 1-1 in the fourth inning when a massive rain storm forced a three-hour rain delay.
Following the delay, the Bulls’ bats came alive and they struck for eight runs to win 9-1 and eliminate the Blazers.
Joel Michael Pressley drove in the only Blazer run and Daniel Kerrigan was the only player with multiple hits.
Despite the elimination, the Blazers finished as one of the top 16 teams in all of the country.
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In their victory over Columbus, the Sluggers did what they always do — they fell into a multiple run deficit.
But like they always do, the Sluggers put together a massive inning to take the lead. That inning on Sunday was the bottom of the fifth. Trailing 4-0 heading into the inning, the Sluggers put together several hits and impressive base running to take the 6-4 lead.
“It was typical Valdosta Sluggers baseball,” head coach Tim Samples said.
Cameron Carter was 2 for 3 in the game and stole home to account for one of the Sluggers’ run. Brodie Whiddon was 2 for 3 in the win.
In the win over Statesville, the Sluggers used a pair of in-the-park home runs by Westin Roberts and Kade Register along with key hitting from other contributors, like Drew Anderson who belted a two-run single and then stole home, to build their large lead.
Roberts finished the game 3 for 3, while Register was 2 for 4.
On the hill, the Dizzy Dean pitching rules forced the Sluggers to throw several pitchers. Roberts started the game off with two shutout innings. The Drew Anderson tossed two innings and allowed two runs. Andrew Clark finished the game and allowed no runs on no hits in his only inning of work.
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Related Photos
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Brodie Whiddon of the VLRPA 10-year-old All-Star team. Paul Leavy | The Valdosta Daily Times
Discussion
Blazers eliminated; Sluggers win two
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