Bluffton American stayed alive but Bluffton National was eliminated from the Dixie Youth Baseball O-Zone (11-12) State Tournament on Sunday at Oscar Frazier Park.
Bluffton American bounced back from its opening loss to hang on for an 8-6 win over Greenwood to keep its state title hopes alive, but Bluffton National was bounced from the double-elimination bracket with a 7-2 loss to Sumter.
After struggling to get the offense going in an 8-3 loss to Hartsville Northern on Saturday, American wasted no time getting on the board Sunday with two runs in each of the first three innings. It was 8-1 before Greenwood scored a single run in the fifth and pushed across four runs in the sixth.
Nico Martucci was the star for American, striking out seven and allowing one run and two hits over four innings to earn the win and going 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs. Jackson Arseneau added two hits and an RBI.
National pulled within 2-1 in the fifth inning before things unraveled in a five-run fifth inning for Sumter. Aaron Guthrie had the only hit for National, while Landon Ballowe walked and scored a run.
Bluffton American will face Midland in an elimination game at 5:15 p.m. Monday.
Sunday’s Games
Sumter 7, Bluffton National 2 (Bluffton National eliminated)
Midland 11, Goose Creek 1 (Goose Creek eliminated)
Bluffton American 8, Greenwood 6 (Greenwood eliminated)
Union 11, Gregg Park 4
Edgefield County 10, Greer 8
North Myrtle Beach 12, Hartsville Northern 2
Monday’s Games
Greer vs. Sumter, 5:15 p.m.
Midland vs. Bluffton American, 5:15 p.m.
Gregg Park vs. Hartsville Northern, 7:30 p.m.
Union vs. Edgefield County, 7:30 p.m.