LowcoSports.com
It went the distance, but the latest chapter in the budding softball rivalry between Beaufort and Bluffton went the same as the others have this summer.
After Beaufort struck back for a hard-fought 4-3 win following a 5-1 loss to open the best-of-three series, Bluffton pulled away for a 9-3 victory in the decisive game of the Diamond Youth Softball 12-and-under district tournament Wednesday night at Oscar Frazier Park.
Emma Wall was the winning pitcher in both of Bluffton’s win, striking out 13 in the opener and racking up nine strikeouts in the clincher with some help from her defense to work out of jams and limit the damage against a pesky Beaufort lineup.
Beaufort’s Skyler Catlett went the distance in Tuesday’s 4-3 win, as she struck out eight and helped Beaufort avoid elimination.
The teams traded punches early in the finale, but Bluffton took a 4-3 lead in the third and broke it open with five runs in the fourth before Wall closed the door.
Beaufort and Bluffton squared off for the district championship in the 8u, 10u, and 12u divisions with Bluffton winning each matchup, but there’s a chance for one more head-to-head clash when both towns send teams to the 6-and-under Rookie League state tournament starting Saturday in Loris.
Diamond Youth Softball All-Star Tournaments
6u Rookie League (Coach Pitch)
Diamond Youth 6u State Tournament, Loris
June 29
Union vs. Beaufort, 9 a.m.
Bluffton vs. Lewisville, 11 a.m.
Elimination game, 2 p.m.
Winner’s bracket, 4 p.m.
8u Coach Pitch
Diamond Youth 8u District Tournament, Burton Wells Complex
Beaufort 11, Colleton Co. 9
Bluffton 17, Colleton Co. 7
Bluffton 15, Beaufort 3
Bluffton 14, Beaufort 2
Bluffton All-Stars advance to DYS State Tournament in Georgetown starting June 28
8u Coach Pitch State Tournament, Georgetown
June 29
Bluffton vs. Chester, 11 a.m.
Winner vs. Aynor/Bamberg, 1 p.m.
Loser vs. Union/Loris, 3 p.m.
Diamond Youth Softball World Series, Fairview, Tenn.
July 17-22
10u Softball
Diamond Youth 10u District Tournament, Oscar Frazier Park
Colleton Co. vs. Beaufort, 6pm
Bluffton 14, Colleton Co. 0
Bluffton 8, Beaufort 7
Bluffton 9, Beaufort 2
Bluffton All-Stars advance to DYS 10u State Tournament
10u Softball State Tournament, Georgetown
June 29
Bluffton vs. Bamberg, 9 a.m.
Winner vs. Woodruff/Clarendon, 2 p.m.
Loser vs. Woodruff/Clarendon, 4:30 p.m.
Diamond Youth Softball World Series, Fairview, Tenn.
July 17-22
12u Softball
Diamond Youth 12u District Tournament, Burton Wells Complex
Bluffton 5, Beaufort 1
Beaufort 4, Bluffton 3
Bluffton 9, Beaufort 3
Bluffton advances to state tournament starting June 28 in Loris
12u Softball State Tournament, Loris
June 29
Bluffton vs. Bamberg, 9 a.m.
Winner vs. McBee, 1 p.m.
Loser vs. Cherokee Co./Jackson, 1 p.m.
Diamond Youth Softball World Series, Fairview, Tenn.
July 17-22
