CERRO GORDO — Cedarius Ballard tripled and doubled Tuesday, June 9 as Bladen County outscored Whiteville American 15-8 in an elimination game of the Diamond Youth Baseball District 2 AAA (Minors) tournament.
Once-beaten Bladen County is scheduled to play unbeaten Columbus County on Wednesday, June 10. If Bladen County wins, it will play Thursday for the district championship.
Whiteville National and Riegelwood are scheduled to play in Wednesday’s other semifinal. Bladen County and Riegelwood are Division 2 teams and the team that finishes better will advance to the state tournament.
Bladen County jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed. Whiteville American cut it to 4-3 in the second, but Bladen County countered with a pair of four-run innings to open a 12-5 advantage. Each team scored three times in the fifth inning.
Lawson Walters and Britton Christian each had two hits for Bladen County. Khristian Neill, Cooper White, Nycere Pryor, Augustus Bordeaux and Jackson Davis had one hit.
Members of the Bladen County Minors squad are Cedarius Ballard, Augustus Bordeaux, Britton Christian, Silas Corcelius, Jackson Davis, Noah Kinlaw, Baylyn Brisson, Khristian Neill, Nycere Pryor, Eli Stone, Lawson Walters and Cooper White. Coaches are Tim Benton, Craig Walters and Leslie Davis.
District 9 AA (Coach-Pitch) Tournament
In Elizabethtown, West Robeson Blue and Fairmont advanced to the Wednesday, June 10 championship game of the tournament at Leinwand Park.
Unbeaten West Robeson Blue rolled past West Robeson White 16-1 and Fairmont edged Lumberton Maroon 7-6 in semifinal games Tuesday, June 9.
District 2 AAA (Minors) tournament
at Cerro Gordo
Sunday, June 7
Game 1: Whiteville National 7, Bladen County 6
Game 2: Columbus County 15, South Columbus Silver 8
Game 3: Riegelwood 9, Whiteville American 6
Monday, June 8
Game 4: Bladen County 15, South Columbus Silver 3
Game 5: Columbus County 14, Whiteville National 4
Tuesday, June 9
Game 6: Bladen County 15, Whiteville American 8
Game 7: Columbus County 13, Riegelwood 11
Wednesday, June 10
Game 8: Whiteville National vs. Riegelwood, 6 p.m.
Game 9: Bladen County vs. Columbus County, 8 p.m.
Thursday, June 11
Game 10: Championship, 7 p.m.
Game 11: if necessary
District 9 AA (Coach-Pitch) Tournament
at Leinwand Park, Elizabethtown
Saturday, June 6
Game 1: Fairmont 12, West Robeson White 2
Game 2: West Robeson Blue 22, Lumberton Gold 0
Game 3: Lumberton Maroon 19, Elizabethtown 3
Sunday, June 7
Game 4: West Robeson White 15, Lumberton Gold 5
Game 5: West Robeson Blue 13, Fairmont 3
Monday, June 8
Game 6: West Robeson White 16, Elizabethtown 11
Game 7: West Robeson Blue 11, Lumberton Maroon 4
Tuesday, June 9
Game 8: Fairmont 7, Lumberton Maroon 6
Game 9: West Robeson Blue 16, West Robeson White 1
Wednesday, June 10
Championship: West Robeson Blue vs. Fairmont, 6:30 p.m.