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Twin Cities Dixie Boys’ Team
Finishes 4th In State
Local boys from Altha, Blountstown, and Bristol were vying for a state championship title in the Dixie Boys (14-year-olds) division last week in Grand Ridge. Below are game summaries:
July 17, Twin Cities (12) v. Spring Hill (3)
Someone must have stolen these boys’ fireworks on July 4. On a sweltering, sweat-soaking afternoon they found them in the form of their bats as they lit the afternoon sky with 11 hits off of which they scored 12 runs en route to a 12-3 first round victory over Spring Hill.
They got it kick-started in the top of the first inning when catcher Lance Bailey drew a lead off walk and he stole second base. With two outs first baseman Ricky Bailey ripped a single to left field, which scored Bailey. Tad Scott would reach first on a walk to begin the second inning. With one out second baseman Josh McIntosh would bring home Scott with a poke to left field.
The bottom of the second inning began with a web gem by leftfielder Cale Chafin who came in hard on a line drive that was fading fast and would seemingly fall for a base hit. Chafin slid and swooped the ball off the top of the grass for the first out. Scott struck out the next batter as he watched the third strike cross the plate. Spring Hill’s third batter of the inning reached by being hit by a pitch. However, Lance Bailey and Noah Byler worked to catch the runner trying to steal second and record the third out.
Twin Cities’ hit parade continued in the third inning. After third baseman Keith Kirkpatrick drew a lead off walk, Noah Byler would reach first on a fielder’s choice. With one out first baseman Ricky Mercer reached first on a seeing-eye single that made it through the right side. After the second out in the inning and with two men on base, Tad Scott parked the first pitch that he was served over the left centerfield fence for a three-run homer. That gave Twin Cities a 5-0 lead that they would not surrender.
Facing a new Spring Hill pitcher was no problem for Josh McIntosh as he hit his second single of the game to left center field. With two outs Keith Kirkpatrick’s single to left field moved McIntosh to second base. Then Noah Byler drew a walk to load the bases. Ricky Mercer also drew a walk and a RBI as he scored McIntosh from third. Gary Chew would bring in three more runs when he sent banged a line-drive triple to the right centerfield fence. Chew’s hit gave Twin Cities a commanding 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the fourth inning.
With sparkling defensive play in the fourth inning, Twin Cities recorded the first of their two double plays in the tournament through the teamwork of Noah Byler, Ricky Mercer, and Keith Kirkpatrick.
Cale Chafin led off Twin Cities’ fifth inning by ripping a line drive back through the box. Josh McIntosh advanced Cale to second by laying down a bunt on the first base side for a base hit. Lance Bailey scored Chafin with a line drive back up the middle making the score 9-0. In the bottom of the fifth inning Twin Cities’ defense took a little vacation. Spring Hill’s batters touched Scott for four runs off of three hits and one defensive fielding error.
Twin Cities would score their last two runs in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Tad Scott was issued a free pass to first base. Cale Chafin had a ditch-digging single to the right side, which scored Scott. Chafin took second base on a fielder’s choice. Josh McIntosh laid down his second bunt of the game—a RBI sacrifice--that scored Chafin and gave Twin Cities their first win of the tournament.
Pitcher Tad Scott had an “A-game” for Twin Cities. Of the 30 batters he faced he sat allowed just three runs (only two of those were earned) off of six hits. He sat down seven batters while surrendering only two walks.
July 18, Capital Park (2) v. Twin Cities (12) [6 innings]
Pitcher Noah Byler began the top of the first inning by putting three runners on base and surrendering a base hit. However, Capital Park was only able to score one of those runners.
Twin Cities scored two runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning. Third baseman Keith Kirkpatrick drew a lead off walk and then stole second base. With one out first baseman Ricky slapped a single through the right side hole scoring Byler. Mercer took second base on a fielder’s choice and then he stole second base. He reached home on an error by the catcher giving Twin Cities a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the second inning, Capital Park’s pitcher gave left fielder Dillon Burke a free pass to first base. Right fielder Parker Strickland’s seeing-eye single found its way through the hole on the left side. Keith Kirkpatrick’s double to left field scored Burke and Strickland.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Ricky Mercer led off with a single and stole second base. He went to third on a ground out. Catcher Cale Chafin scored Mercer on a fielder’s choice single.
After setting down Capital Park in order, Twin Cities would flex their muscles by posting six runs off of six singles. Parker Strickland reached by hitting a grounder just out of the reach of the third baseman. An error by the catcher put Strickland at second base. Keith Kirkpatrick slapped a single to left field scoring Burke. Kirkpatrick took second base on a fielder’s choice. He reached third on a ground out and stole home on the very next play. Southpaw Ricky Mercer looped a shot into right field. A passed ball allowed him to take second base. Centerfielder Gary Chew moved Mercer to third when with a grounder to the right side. With a line drive to right field, shortstop Tad Scott brought Mercer home. An error by the third baseman allowed Chafin to reach first base. Chafin stole second base and went to third on a wild pitch. McIntosh brought Chafin home with a line drive to centerfield.
With the 10-run mercy rule in effect, Twin Cities made use of it in the sixth inning. Dillon Burke drew a leadoff walk but was forced out at second Juan Alejos’ fielder’s choice. Alejos moved over to second when Kirkpatrick singled to left field. Mercer scored Alejos from third for Twin Cities’ giving them a 12-2 victory.
Noah Byler had a great game, pitching six innings, faced 26 batters and giving up two runs off of five hits. Byler fanned six batters while surrendering only two walks.
July 19, Twin Cities (6) v. Southport (11)
Southport banged out five seeing-eye singles that seemed to find a hole and a double in the first to post a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the second inning, Southport would chalk up one more run as the lead off batter reached on a double.
Twin Cities got zeroed in on Southport’s pitcher in the third inning. Right fielder Juan Alejos led off with a grounder that hopped out of the second baseman’s reach. Pitcher Keith Kirkpatrick stroked his second double of the tournament to left field. Shortstop Noah Byler was given a free pass to second base. First baseman Ricky Mercer sent a grass-burner through the right side hole scoring Alejos. Centerfielder Gary Chew would bring Byler home with a line-drive single to left field. Twin Cities' fourth run of the inning came when Cale Chafin’s groundout allowed Mercer to touch the home dish.
With two outs in the fourth inning, Kirkpatrick rocketed his second consecutive double of the game to left field. Byler would score Kirkpatrick with a single. That brought Twin Cities to within one run, 6-5. However, Southport would get three of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth by and stretch their lead to 9-5. Southport would add two more runs in the fifth inning.
Twin Cities posted their final run in the top of the seventh inning. With one out Byler was issued a walk and he advanced to second base on an error by the catcher. Mercer ripped a grounder down the first base line to score Byler from second. That’s all the scoring they could muster and Twin Cities had their first loss, 11-6.
Starting pitcher Ricky Mercer faced seven batters, surrendered five earned runs off of six hits. In relief, Keith Kirkpatrick, saw 28 batters who produced six runs (four of them were earned) off of six hits. Kirkpatrick walked six and fanned seven Southport All-Stars.
Dixie Boys – Tuesday, July 20 – Spring Hill (8) v. Twin Cities (2)
Spring Hill would score in the second inning, the runner having reached first as a result of a defensive error. Their second run would come in the next inning after a pitch had hit the batter. Spring Hill would add three runs in the fourth inning and sprinkling adding a single run to their side of the ledger in the last three innings.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Ricky Mercer led off the inning with a ground ball single to the right side. With one out shortstop Tad Scott brought Mercer home with a double he ripped to the right centerfield fence. Then Scott advanced to third on a wild pitch. Second baseman Josh McIntosh stepped to the plate with two outs and hit a line drive to left field scoring Scott for the game’s final run.
Starting pitcher Ricky Mercer faced 16 batters in four innings of work. Spring Hill touched him for four runs off of three hits with three of those runs being earned. Mercer issued only two walks and fanned two batters. Tad Scott worked two innings facing six batters and he was charged with two runs—one of which was earned. He also struck out two batters and he gave up no walks. Noah Byler pitched in the sixth and seventh innings. Of the nine batters he faced only two had a hit and two runs scored with only one run being earned. Byler was credited with two strikeouts.
With the loss the Twin Cities Dixie Boys’ team finished fourth in the state, which isn’t shabby at all! It was a tremendous ride, guys, and we appreciate your quality of play and your effort. You will always be our champions!
(NOTE: The Sebring All-Stars defeated Southport in the championship game and as Florida State Dixie Boys Champions will advance to the Dixie Boys World Series in La Grange, GA. You can check out all the World Series action from July 30 through August 5 by logging onto: www.dixie.org).
Junior Dixie Boys Team
Fall Short Of State Championship
The Junior Dixie Boys team (13-year-olds), with players from Altha, Blountstown, and Bristol, vied for a state championship title last week in Grand Ridge. Below are game summaries:
Junior Dixie Boys – Saturday, July 17 – Twin Cities (6) v. Holmes County (7)
Twin Cities matched the hot July morning in their first game of the tournament by swinging some hot sticks in the top of the first inning and jumping out to 5-0 lead over Holmes County. Second baseman Jordan Reddick got the action started when he struck out swinging. The catcher missed the ball and the first baseman was unable to make the catch, which allowed Reddick to reach first base.
Shortstop Josh Cook scored Reddick when he ripped a triple to left field. A single back up the middle by third baseman Clayton Smith allowed Cook to cross home plate. With two outs, centerfielder Mason Waldorff’s single to left centerfield brought home Smith for Twin Cities’ third run of the inning. After leftfielder Jason Money reached on a right field single, an error by the right fielder allowed first baseman Ethan Ammons to reach second base. Both Waldorff and Money scored on the play.
With a 5-0 lead Twin Cities’ starting pitcher, Ethan Byler allowed only two runs while facing 16 Holmes County batters in three innings of work. In the fourth inning second baseman Jake Edenfield reached first when he was hit by a pitch. Clayton Smith’s RBI single brought Edenfield across the dish for Twin Cities’ sixth run. Holmes County would cut further into Twin Cities’ lead posting two more runs in the fifth inning making the score 6-4. In the seventh inning “Big Mo” had jumped over to Holmes County side as they ride him to a 7-6 win over Twin Cities.
Junior Dixie Boys – Sunday, July 18 – Twin Cities (0) v. Oak Griner (8)
Facing elimination on this second day of the tournament Twin Cities played the first game of the day.
Although Twin Cities pounded out seven hits (including a double by Jeremy Watson) to Oak Griner’s three hits, Twin Cities could not get a run across the plate.
Oak Griner scored four runs in the second inning and four runs in the fourth inning eliminating Twin Cities, 8-0. Five of those runs were results of walks and only one came off of a base hit.
(NOTE: Southport defeated Holmes County in the championship game to advance to the Junior Dixie Boys World Series in Aiken, SC. You can keep up with the action of the World Series beginning July 29 through August 5 by logging onto www.dixie.org).