Chocowinity 16U All-Stars beat West Volusia, Fla., eliminated by Lytle, Texas

Published 5:14 pm Tuesday, August 11, 2015

JENSEN BEACH, Fla. — The Chocowinity 16U All-Stars were eliminated in the third round of the Babe Ruth Softball World Series losers’ bracket after failing to win the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. The team closes out the tournament with a 2-4 record.

After being shutout by the West Volusia Athletic Club (Fla.), 11-0, in the second game of pool play on Saturday, Chocowinity would have its revenge in the second round of the losers’ bracket on Tuesday, a 9 a.m. start time. Erasing a four-run deficit with a late offensive explosion, Chocowinity ended West Volusia’s World Series campaign with a 13-5 defeat.

Taylor Langley pitched the first three innings for head coach Kam Rouse before being replaced by Hope McKeever in the fourth. McKeever limited WVAC to just one run on five hits through four innings, finishing with five strikeouts.

WVAC opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first on three hits, a walk and a costly error. Following a scoreless second inning, Chocowinity struck back in the third for three runs on singles by Symone Ruffin and Alexis Preece and a double from Maggie Craig.

From there, Chocowinity’s offense cruised, posting the tying run in the fourth, two runs in the fifth and sixth and five runs in the seventh, sealing the victory.

Ruffin finished 3-for-5 with four runs scored and an RBI, while Grace Rose and Preece notched two hits, respectively.

But five hours later in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Chocowinity’s World Series came to an end at the hands of the Lytle, Texas Aftershock in the form of a 5-0 defeat.

Ace Alyssa McLawhorn got the call and pitched well down the stretch, finishing with five strikeouts and escaping numerous jams, but it was a strong first inning from the Aftershock that resulted in the loss.

Lytle strung together three runs in the first inning on three singles, a walk and a double from Abigail Martinez. From there, McLawhorn was solid, but Lytle pitcher Deja Darby had her best game of the tournament, tossing seven innings and allowing just six hits, holding Chocowinity scoreless. Lytle tacked on another two runs of insurance in the sixth inning to close out the game.

Langley led Chocowinity at the plate with two hits, while Ruffin, Madison Sadler, Preece and Craig combined for the team’s four other base knocks.