YOUTH BSB: Hilton Head sweeps to O-Zone district crown

Hilton Head’s all-stars completed a dominant run through the Dixie Youth Baseball O-Zone (11-12) district tournament with a 7-0 win over Bluffton on Monday at The Crossings Park.

Phoenix Shapiro, Alan Wolf, and Jackson Reilley combined on a one-hit shutout for the host team, which won its three games in the tournament by a combined 33-0 score. 

Bluffton battled back from an opening-round loss to win two elimination games and reach the title game, but Hilton Head’s strong pitching staff and team defense was too much for any of its opponents to overcome. 

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Shapiro started on the mound and earned the win for the third straight game, going three innings and allowing one hit and one walk with two strikeouts. The right-hander pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings in the tournament, giving up just three hits and one walk while racking up 10 strikeouts. Wolf struck out three over two no-hit innings in the title game, issuing one walk, and Reilley closed it out with a perfect sixth.

Wolf also had a big night at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and three runs. Leadoff man Nicklaus Feltner was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Shapiro added a pair of hits for Hilton Head. Ty Eanes and Peter Fenstermaker also drove in runs. 

Bluffton starter Ben Rush did a good job of limiting the damage over the first two innings, holding a strong Hilton Head lineup to three runs, but the pitching staff ran out of steam after playing four consecutive days. 

Lucas Price had the lone hit for Bluffton with a double to left in the second. 

Hilton Head advances to the state tournament July 9-15 in Moncks Corner.