Host team wins first two at Junior Boys state tourney
The host Beaufort County All-Stars were one of two undefeated teams remaining in the Junior Dixie Boys (13U) State Tournament through Monday’s games at Oscar Frazier Park in Bluffton.
The Beaufort County team, made up of players from Beaufort and Bluffton, opened the tournament with a 21-0 rout of Moncks Corner on Saturday. After receiving a bye on Sunday, the host team held on for an 11-9 win over Sumter on Monday.
Kevin Brown allowed one hit over four scoreless innings, and Ross Putnam gave up just one hit over two frames of relief to finish off the shutout of Moncks Corner.
Kyler McKeever led the offensive outburst, going 3-for-5 with a homer, four runs, and five RBIs, while Dietrich Shuford was 2-for-4 with a double, three runs, and three RBIs, and Braydon Dineen was 3-for-3 with three runs and an RBI. Logan Brutcher and Will Corn each added two RBIs.
Against Sumter, Beaufort County rallied from an early 4-0 hole and erased another four-run deficit later in the game to advance to remain one of two undefeated teams in the double-elimination tournament.
Brutcher was 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, three RBIs, and three runs to lead Beaufort County at the plate. McKeever was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs; Shuford was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs, and an RBI; and Brown was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Brutcher earned the win in relief, allowing one run and two hits over 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. McKeever nailed down the save with two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.
Beaufort County was scheduled to face St. George in a matchup of unbeaten teams on Tuesday. The championship game of the double-elimination tournament was set for Thursday.
Beaufort County Dixie Boys eliminated early
The host Beaufort County all-stars were bounced from the Dixie Boys (14U) State Tournament with back-to-back losses Saturday and Sunday at Oscar Frazier Park in Bluffton.
Beaufort County opened the tournament with a 9-4 loss to North Myrtle Beach on Saturday and fell 23-13 to Seneca on Sunday in the double-elimination tournament.
The hosts fell behind 6-2 after four innings against North Myrtle Beach and couldn’t dig out of the hole. Lucas Hamilton was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Ryan Giles was 2-for-2 with a double, and Garrett Greenwalt drove in a run for Beaufort County. Hamilton started on the mound and took the loss.
The offense came around for Beaufort County on Sunday, but the pitching and defense couldn’t slow down Seneca, which scored at least two runs in each inning and broke open a tied game with an eight-run third inning. Peter Hughes was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, Cooper Davis was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Giles was 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored to lead Beaufort County at the plate. Emilio Mendoza added a hit, two runs, and two RBIs. Nicholas Fowlkes was charged with the loss in relief.
