By JOHN MCCORMICK

For The Daily News

 

In the semi-final game of the Little Tarheel State Tournament, the Washington 8U All-Stars battled with the Louisburg All-Stars. In the seventh game in a four day stretch, Washington faced yet another tough opponent that would not quit.

After battling through the first five innings, Washington held a 5-4 lead. Louisburg answered the call in the top of the sixth inning to stay alive, starting the inning with five-straight hits, giving the visitors a two run lead.

In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out recorded, Washington trailed Louisburg 7-5. Washington was able to extend the game and force extra innings with four-straight base hits off the bats of Wright Collins, Cade Mixon, Wayland Mitchell and Matthew Jefferson.

Then in the top of the seventh, Louisburg once again reclaimed the lead on a sacrifice fly out to the left fielder that brought in the runner from third. To lead off the bottom half of the seventh inning, Bryce Williams continued his hot streak, hitting a deep triple that rolled all the way to the outfield fence. Will Glover then knocked in Williams to tie the game at seven on a single to left center field.

Entering the eighth inning Louisburg led off with three-straight singles, scoring two runs. Later in the inning, with two outs, Louisburg hit back-to-back doubles that scored yet another run to make it a three run lead.

For the third straight inning, Washington came up to the plate trailing and on the edge of elimination. The heart of Washington’s lineup answered back again, starting off the inning with three-straight base hits that all squeezed between the shortstop and third base gap. Jefferson then hit a hard line drive down the third base line that scored Collins and Mixon to tie the game at 11.

With the game clock rolling past the two-hour mark, Louisburg was able to rally in the top of the ninth with six hits and four runs to take a 15-11 lead.

After already battling back four times in the semi-final game, Washington once again found itself just three outs away from elimination entering the bottom of the ninth inning. Glover led off the inning with a single up the middle, but that would be the last hit Washington would record in the tournament.

After nearly two-and-a-half hours in the heat of the day, Washington fell to Louisburg by a final score of 15-11. While Washington was unable to reach the championship game, there were many positives that head coach Zach Mixon took away from the four day tournament.

“We played more innings than any other ball team out here this weekend,” coach Mixon said. “Being in the loser’s bracket, we came back from Friday’s loss and played six ball games to get here today. It’s been a long weekend, but I’m very proud of the guys.”

After transitioning over to the Little Tarheel League just a short time ago, Washington was forced to abandon the pitching machine hitting rules of Cal Ripken baseball and face live coach pitching for the first time.

“We have only been playing Little Tar Heel for three weeks and to come to the semi-finals in the state championship of this league is pretty good,” coach Mixon said. “I believe we’re just as good as any other team out here.”

Washington finished the Little Tarheel State Tournament in third place out of 16 teams that took the field this weekend in the 8U division. The 8U All-Stars ended their final summer tournament with a 5-2 record, after only losing two extra-inning games by a total of five runs.

“We are sad about breaking up the team,” said coach Mixon. “We’re all finished up with baseball for the summer, it’s a bittersweet feeling. We are glad to have been here today and we are still happy about the tournament results.”