West Robeson’s Hunter Scott on top of the mound.
Alex Brooks | Bladen Journal
Elizabethtown’s Kai Smeigh and Aiiden Wooten during warm-ups.
Alex Brooks | Bladen Journal
West Robeson Braylon Clark making a play to first base.
Alex Brooks | Bladen Journal
Elizabethtown Shawn Davisson throwing the ball to the cut-off man.
Alex Brooks | Bladen Journal
ELIZABETHTOWN — West Robeson defeated Elizabethtown for a 21-9 victory in the Dixie Youth Baseball District 9 AAA Championship. West Robeson led the first inning off with three straight walks to load the bases with no outs before Noah Locklear slapped a 2-RBI single to start an onslaught of runs. Hunter Scott followed behind N. Locklear with a 2-RBI single to center field to add pressure on the Elizabethtown defense.
The score quickly ballooned to eight after Chandler Strickland sent the final run of the inning across the plate to conclude the inning. Elizabethtown led off the inning with a quick groundout to first but showed discipline at the plate for three straight walks to load the bases. Greylan Nobles drove home a run from Kai Smeigh with a single for Elizabethtown’s first run of the evening. A fielding error from West Robeson allowed Elizabethtown to get a couple more runs across to make the game 8-3.
Left-hander Hunter Scott came in as relief for starting pitcher Tanner Clark in the first inning. Scott was able to strike out the first two batters and bring the first inning to a close before things got out of hand. Elizabethtown starting pitcher Aiden Wooten struck out the first batter he faced to start the top of the second inning for a positive start. N. Locklear stepped up to the plate and slapped on to third but was able to make it safely to first base on an overthrow. Scott followed behind with an infield pop-out for the second out of the inning for West Robeson.
Another error got West Robeson one more runner on base before an infield single was able to plate two more runs to make the score 10-3. Elizabethtown was able to scrape a run in their half of the inning but momentum was in favor of their opponents. West Robeson was able to extend their lead to 14-3 in their half of the third inning.
West Robenson’s Brayden Clark had a perfect 3-for-3 day in the batter’s box to lead his team in a 16-hit explosion. Elizabethtown’s Baylor Gooden went 2-for-2 on three runs scored to lead his team in slugging.
Wooten, Eli Dicicco, and Cooper Clark all pitched for a combined three strikeouts and eight walks. Scott finished the game on top of the mound after coming in as relief in the first inning and is credited with the win to help West Robeson secure the district title.
West Robeson finished the district tournament undefeated and outscored their opponents 68-16. They qualified for the five-team, double-elimination state tournament in Lumberton on July 8th. Elizabethtown finished the district tournament with two wins and two losses, with both their losses coming at the hands of West Robenson.