A day after losing to Union National on a walk-off home run, the Bluffton American all-stars returned the favor Tuesday at the Dixie Youth Baseball AAA state tournament in Hartsville.
Miles Frye blasted a walk-off three-run home run in the eighth inning, lifting Bluffton to an 8-5 win over Union in an elimination game. Roman Colella led off the game with a home run for Bluffton, which advances to the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Hilton Head bowed out of the O-Zone state tournament with a tough loss, falling to Midland 7-2 in nine innings. The game was tied at 1 after six innings, and Hilton Head nearly won it in the seventh, as Eli Mitton flew out to the warning track and Hilton Head left the winning run at third.
Midland took the lead in the top of the eighth, but Hilton Head answered to score the tying run with a suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the frame. Midland broke it open with five runs in the ninth to survive and advance.