Rain dampens state tourney

By Shannon J. Allen

Special to The Journal

Luverne Parks and Recreation's Dixie Youth All-Stars are somewhere no other Dixie Youth team from the Friendliest City in the South has ever been. They are competing for the state championship, in the12-and-under tournament, which is being played at the Boaz Youth Sports Park.

Luverne 12, Oxford Black 9

Trailing 8-4, Luverne exploded for eight runs in the top of the fifth inning to seize command against Oxford Black.

Luverne's monster inning featured back-to-back homers by Monterio May (two-run blast) and Sidney Beasley (solo shot).

Michael D'Arville, Hunner Moody, Beasley and May each belted two hits for Luverne.

Oxford Black's Tylor Robinson collected a game-high three hits.

Southern 1, Clanton 0

Southern of Gadsden triumphed as Miles Nordgren, Skylar Cannon and Buster Isbell combined to toss a five-hitter with six strikeouts and no walks.

Cannon was the winning pitcher in relief of starter Nordgren.

Southern scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the third. Mason Hall singled, Cannon walked and Jace Ellis singled to load the bases for Caleb Watts, whose fielder's choice plated Hall.

Benjamin Handley, Tanner Powell and Adam Minor each pitched for Clanton, with Powell being tagged with the defeat.

Handley started and threw two innings, allowing one hit with three strikeouts and one walk.

Powell pitched two innings of middle relief. He surrendered three hits, a run and one walk.

Minor struck out one and walked one in an inning.

Powell batted 2 for 2 to lead Clanton's hitters.

Saraland American 2, Holtville 0

A pair of unearned runs lifted Saraland American to victory.

In the bottom of the third inning, Saraland's Chase Weaver singled, and Sean Sherrer was struck by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Ethan Corley reached safety on a two-out error.

A trio of Saraland American pitchers combined on the shutout.

Starter Byron Rich worked two innings and gave up two hits with five strikeouts.

Joseph Toomey was the winner in relief. He threw two hitless innings with two strikeouts and two walks.

Chase Williamson allowed a hit, a walk and fanned three batters in two innings on the mound.

Three Holtville hurlers combined to limit Saraland to a pair of hits.

Daniel Arant started and went two innings. He yielded one hit, walked two and struck out three.

Kyle Maynard took the loss in relief. He threw two innings and gave up one hit with two strikeouts and two walks.

Casey Antley struck out the side in one inning on the hill. He walked one.

Maynard batted two-for-two for Holtville.

Moulton 14, Pleasant Grove 1

Moulton's bats were blazing in the four-inning game.

Moulton bombed Pleasant Grove for nine runs in the top of the third frame, including a three-run homer by Luke Terry and a two-run homer by Alex Daniel.

Terry finished with two hits and four RBIs. Mitch McPhee contributed two hits and two RBIs and Austin Dutton two hits.

Moulton's Jacob Burnside, William McWhorter and Jake Appleton combined on a one-hitter.

Brett Sivley collected the lone hit for Pleasant Grove.

The Luverne All-Stars have been in Boaz since last Friday, having departed as a convoy from Luverne's E.L. Turner Jr. Park.

"I'm extremely proud of our Dixie All-Stars," said Doug Brown, director of Luverne Parks and Recreation. "These boys are representing 15 years worth of coaches, players and parents, as well as the entire Crenshaw County citizenry. They are our ambassadors, and have really done well to have made it to the Dixie All-Stars State Championship Tournament in Boaz."

Brown said anyone in the community, business or private, could make donations to help offset the costs being incurred by the team and their families during this extended-season championship.

Editor's note:

Shannon J. Allen, sports editor for the Sand Mountain Reporter, is covering the Dixie Youth State Championship Tournament being held in Boaz, which is part of his beat. He may be reached via e-mail at sports@sandmountainreporter.com.

Bentley Gray is a professional photographer covering the Alabama Dixie Youth State Championship games being conducted in Boaz. Photos will be available following the conclusion of the tournament on his website on the Internet at www.bentleygray.net.